Paw Prints & Other Distractions
by Danni'n'Taylor4Eva
Summary: Bella contemplates leaving Forks after the accident of a loved one, but the wolf pack needs her help. Driven to save what family she has left, Bella must decide once and for all if the love for her wolf is real or is it really just another distraction.
1. Desperate

***A/N: Hi, so glad you've decided to start reading my story. Thanks a bunch & I promise I will make this ride as interesting as possible. I would like to thank my betas HEAR and Lindsey21412. Also would like to thank Mrstrentreznor for introducing her precious insight and stories for the rest of FanFic to enjoy. :-)  
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**Please feel free to leave a review. My version of the Rx3 helps my fingers type faster. So please read, review, recommend.  
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**Title: Paw Prints & Other Distractions**

**Prologue Title: Desperate, by Decyfer Down**

Intro: Bella can barely hold the pieces together after a tragedy presents itself at the most inopportune time; after Edward's abrupt departure. However, before she can afford to leave Forks, the wolf pack presents her with an offer she cannot bear to refuse and one particular wolf even presents her with the option to stay. Can Bella make the right decision or has she been doomed such as her love for Edward had been?

The following chapter is a prologue, containing two excerpts from my story, a sudden impulsive, time-consuming delight that would not stop bugging me until I wrote it down. Each chapter written ensured me a longer night's sleep than the previous one, and I hope that you enjoy it. This chapter is to get the fans tails' wagging. LOL.

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**BPOV**

_One early afternoon in March…_

I paced back and forth in front of my red Chevy, anxiously awaiting the arrival of my new house guest. I knew he would arrive with a tote in hand and that horrible grin he liked to wear whenever I was close enough to see it when I would visit Jacob on the La Push Reservation; I sighed loudly. I was already getting impatient and I hadn't even had the kid in my house yet.

"What are you thinking, Bella?" I exclaimed loudly to myself. "You don't know this kid. Not really. Jacob hates him; that's for sure. The reservation sure doesn't like him. Your friends from Forks don't really care for him either. His own pack isn't that fond of him. Do you even like him?" I stopped firing off my questions and did a double take, looking at myself in the mirror. The sun was behind the clouds today; normal Forks weather, but there was a new light in my eyes. I peered closer at my reflection. _Yes, Bella_. _There is definitely something behind your eyes._ I pushed my hair back, something that Jacob usually did. With my waist-long hair and my "fondness" for accidents, Jacob and I both knew that it would be only be a matter of time before I found a way to slip and fall on my hair if it ever got that long.

I continued to wipe at my face. I was right. My eyes shone bright and my skin was radiating heat. My mouth and throat were dry from being open for too long, but I just couldn't believe that I was almost ready to smile. This was the most excited I had felt since Edward had left. Since even the accident.

_Accident?_

I cringed at the sound of my own voice, echoing in my head. It was no accident. Everyone in Forks suspected that it was an accident and even a few on the La Push reservation thought so too, but Billy, Jacob, the pack, and the Elders who sat on the tribal council knew better. Of course, I, Bella Swan-danger magnet extraordinaire, knew that what had happened to Charlie was no accident. It was Victoria. It had been a rogue vampire who had taken Charlie away too soon. It was Victoria's fault that my father was gone, and that now my mother pestered me with daily phone calls about moving to Jacksonville with her.

But I wouldn't leave Charlie.

Someone had to be here. Someone had to stay behind, visit him and put fresh flowers on his grave. Someone had to remember him as more that just Chief of Police of Forks, and I wanted that someone to be me. I couldn't leave now anyway. Billy and Jacob Black were as much a part of me as Charlie was. Closer than Renee even. Jacob would be devastated if I left him. Besides, Edward might come back. _Edward might come back, Bella? Sheesh, in denial much? _I held in a sob. Edward was not coming back and truthfully, right now he wasn't my biggest concern for the moment. The arrival of my new houseguest was and just like that, my thoughts went right back to him. I knew the main reason I was really staying behind now.

You'd miss _him_ too much anyway.

I had almost gasped. _Miss him_? _You don't know him_. _You know nothing, you silly girl. The lack of sun has done nothing for your complexion and now suddenly a hot, young werewolf is staying in your house for the next few months and suddenly you're ready to throw your future out of the window?_

"I might not have much time if Victoria succeeds," I announced. _Not much time at all. Yes, you are a silly girl. Case closed._

I was conflicted; Charlie had not been gone that long and even Edward was barely a lost cause or memory before I seemed ready and able to move on. That worried me. Of course I missed Charlie. Of course I missed Edward. It was so lonely being in the house by myself and now I would have someone there with me who maybe was not a friend, but he could be the distraction I needed to get through this.

"So wrong. So wrong to feel like this," I quietly spoke, more to myself than into the ominous afternoon. "It wasn't even my idea to have him stay with me. It was Sam's." Sam, the wolf pack leader. Sam, the walking and talking head of responsibility, self-sacrifice, and diligence. Christ, if I was a love-sick pre-teen with a fetish for sort-of-beautiful, exotic, native men, I would have had a crush on him too. If something went wrong, I could always blame Sam Uley.

_Wait, did I just pass off my feelings for my new houseguest as a crush?_ I must be out of my mind. _There is no way that the feelings I had for him are anything remotely close to crush-like, and his attitude was a far cry, I was sure, from "let's kiss and see what happens."_ He hated me as much as he hated everyone else. Or he at least liked me as much as everyone else. I didn't know anymore. Everyone in the pack was right; I was nuts for taking this boy in.

I pulled at my hair some more, making it look like I was primping myself in the mirror. "Get a grip, Bella. Get a grip," I resumed.

"Getting yourself ready for me, babe?" a voice behind me called.

My neck jerked back, already letting my temper get the better of me. His smug grin was his version of a trademark smile, but it lacked the warmth and heart that Jacob's smile had. _But he's gorgeous, Bella_. Gorgeous, yes, but he knew that already. You could tell that he did. His ink-colored hair, cut short to ease the transition to phase, his smooth reddish skin, his confident stance, his evenly narrowed eyes that peered into your mind, breaking down the internal walls that I fought so hard to put back up when Edward had left me, and his voice…_Jesus, Bella_. That voice was what would get to me. I knew it then. His dark, chestnut brown eyes may have been undressing me at that precise moment, but that voice behind his vicious smile was what made me weak. It wasn't his muscles peeking through his tight, navy blue skin-like shirt, or the way he casually hung his left hand over his left jeans pocket while balancing his huge duffel bag on his other hip, effortlessly. His lips moved, words came out, and women lost their pants. It was that simple with him and it had always been that way.

Creaking metal from a small, second-hand wheelchair broke my concentration, snapping me back to reality as I heard an even darker voice coming from behind my houseguest.

"Hey! Show some manners," Billy yelled. "Little punk."

My mind was already running amok with thoughts as my fingernails dug into my palms. _Wait a minute, had he just called me…_

Annoyed, I stepped closer to where he stood, his cocky stance only irritating me more. I stopped a few paces short of him, grateful for the wind blowing in the other direction. His smell. That was next after his voice. His smell was next. And then his smile would be the next seal on my death letter. _Okay, so his voice, his smell, his smile, my God_. I hushed my internal voices.

"Don't call me 'babe' either," I said to him sternly.

"Whatever you say," he commented back. His head turned toward my Chevy and his nose twitched as if he smelled a vampire near. My eyes grew in alarm. "That beast looks horrible."

I fought the urge to hit him; it was not the first time I held in the feeling. This would not be easy at all. "Don't hate the truck. Just shut up and get in the car." He was already on my nerves.

My guest stared at me but said nothing, swinging his bag into the cab, covering most of the driver's seat. He knew damn well that he was going to have to move it. I didn't care how small I was compared to his huge 6'5 frame; I was not going to drive him back to the house with his bag in my lap just because he didn't think my truck was good enough to hold him in it. What a prick.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Bella?" Billy asked me again, for the thousandth time since Sam had brought it to everyone's attention some days ago. "Your father would have had a coronary."

I smiled a little. I knew Billy missed Charlie almost as much as I did. Maybe even more. He had seen him and hung out with him on a consistent basis until recently. Very recently. That was something that I would have given anything in the world for a chance to do again. I wasted too many years in Phoenix not wanting to see Charlie.

And I was paying dearly for it now by no longer having Charlie around.

"It'll be fine, Billy. I won't hesitate to rub the kid's nose in the rug if he pees on the floor."

I heard a loud sneer from behind my right shoulder. Little prick, indeed. _Well, maybe not so little_, I amended silently.

"Okay then. Jake will be by later if you need some time away from that one." Billy pointed, not bothering to keep his voice low.

"I appreciate that, Billy. Tell Jake and the rest of the pack thank you for letting me borrow him."

"We should all be thanking you. He's been a problem for a few years," Billy said, looking toward the truck. "And Bella, don't—"

I covered my ears as the sound of my loud horn blared abruptly. It was about the only thing that worked in my car on a consistent basis.

"Ugh!" I screamed at the noise.

"Can we go now?" an ugly voice called back toward the shrunken shapes of Billy and me. "I've gotta scratch, and I'm afraid I'll get stuck in this car permanently if I move too much."

I rolled my eyes. "He'll be fine."

"It's you I'm worried about."

"Then I'll be fine too." I kissed Billy quickly, afraid that my horn would have to take another beating from the irritated, teenage werewolf sitting in my truck. I walked to the truck window and gave him the meanest look I could muster before I would have to inhale him for thirty-two minutes as we drove back to Forks. _Thirty-two minutes?_ _Bella, are you so anal that you counted the exact minutes you would be in the car with him_?

"About time," my future guest commented.

I continued to look at the boy, watching his strong jaw and listening to his horrid tone, but I wasn't affected…much. "Do you mind?" I said as I looked down at his bag and back at him.

"Yeah, whatever." He lifted his duffel with a finger, pushed it through the window of the cab, and into the bed of my truck. I heard the window struggle to make the bag fit. I started to say something but I didn't want to push my luck. The teenage wolf really did look as if he'd be like tuna in a can if he moved much in my truck. "I moved the bag. Get your ass in the car and drive," he ordered.

"Don't talk to me that way. Do I need to set down a few rules—"

"I'm hungry."

I hesitated. "Is that what's wrong with you?"

He said nothing, again. It was a rarity that had not passed unnoticed by me. He was actually staying pretty calm and placid compared to other instances; after all, I had seen him almost phase when he had missed the last muffin on a table.

"No, that's not what's wrong with me."

"So what's the matter?"

He looked exasperated. "Can we just go? I've been on the rez long enough and when I finally get a chance to leave it, you prolong my stay here. Get in the car and let's move; I'm buying."

I stared bewilderingly at him. "Buying?"

"Yeah, I'm buying the food. Now, you. Car. Drive."

In all the stories that I had heard about him, I had never once heard him offer to buy a girl anything, much less food. "Buying," I repeated.

"Jesus Christ, think of it as a date for all I care. Just get in the truck before I start licking the paint chips off your car," he swore nastily.

I glanced at Billy and he gave me a knowing look. _Told you so, Bella_, the look screamed.

I huffed and got into the car, not knowing what else to say. I turned the key in the ignition and my passenger looked as though he had relaxed, stealing the oxygen in the cab by breathing in deeply.I was suddenly aware of the fact that I had not had a chance to shower before picking him up after cleaning the house for the last two days and I was sitting next to someone who's keen sense of smell rivaled only that of a vampire's.

Surprisingly, my guest looked as though he were in heaven, even though he was sitting mere inches away from me and had to be breathing my scent. In fact, he looked a little like Edward when he smelled my blood. But this teenage wolf possessed such a quiet beauty that was so becoming on such a temperamental guy like him that I was almost afraid to disturb by starting to drive; fortunately, he broke my trance by himself.

"Thank you," he said much more quietly. I had never heard him actually use his manners either. Not without getting a look from Emily or the pack.

I was almost speechless. "You're welcome."

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"I'm not an idiot, Swan!" he shouted in my face. Though he was some feet away in the kitchen of the house, I could still feel the heat coming from his body as if it had sought me out personally in a crowded room.

His warmth and proximity caused a warming sensation to creep along my skin, and I had to fight the sudden urge to touch my arms and revel in the feeling. But I kept my hands and arms in front of me.

"I have never said that you were an idiot!"

He scoffed. "You and everyone on the rez act like it! You're all the same! I'm not dumb! I'm not invincible! And I'm not a whore!"

"You act like it!" I screamed back.

"Don't talk to me about acting, leech-lover."

The wind was knocked out of me by imaginary hands, but I pressed myself to keep going. He could not get away with talking about my family like that. At least, they used to be my family.

"Don't you dare to speak about them to me!" I argued. "I'm trying to help you!"

"Help me by moving your ass out the front of that door and let me go out. How the fuck can you stay in this house all the time? Depressed or not, missing your parasite or not, it gets old, Swan."

"It's Bella, you ass! Stop calling me Swan!" I screamed.

"Ooh, little Miss Perfect Swan cursed. Never thought I'd see the day," he sneered.

"Why are you like this?"

"Why do you like _them_? They're not even here and you're defending them. They left you and you still like them? How pathetic."

"What about all those girls that you were with? How badly did you treat them and they still came around you, wanting to be with you? They were like dogs in heat."

"That's exactly what they were and who the fuck are you to tell me anything about dating? Wasn't that leech your first love? How did it feel the morning after fucking a cold rock?"

I was horrified. "That's none of your business," I whispered, not bothering to fix the fact that I had never actually slept with Edward. I was afraid that my screaming partner would lose even more respect for me if he found out that I was a virgin. Something, I was sure, that he remembered nothing about.

His smile was scornful. "Disgusting. I can't believe my pack mate even dreams about you. It's gross. And you're nothing but a tease." He resumed his previous position and stepped closer toward me. I backed away as my breathing hitched, but I moved my body closer to the backdoor. I was now blocking the hothead in.

His skin turned red, steam seemingly rising off of his body, like a hot car baking under the sun. His already darkened eyes turned obsidian in color and his fists were so tight that his knuckles cracked, making me cringe. It sounded like bits of glacier breaking under the pressure of water. Every sound echoed in the house just then.

"Move," he lowly uttered.

"No."

"I'm not your sweet Jacob, Swan. I'm not afraid to get rough with you."

"Then do it," I challenged.

The world stopped. The teenage werewolf was suddenly so close to me that I could hear and feel his heartbeat pounding into my upper chest, mimicking the speed of mine. I almost flinched when he moved his hand, but I knew somehow that he wouldn't hurt me. It was just like with Jacob. I knew Jacob would have never hurt me either, but I was about to hurt my best friend in the worst possible way; I was about to kiss a member of his pack.

He was close. I could see the slight sheen across his forehead. I could even see the reflection of myself in his eyes as he continued to stare at me, suddenly unsure of how to act. I had just asserted myself against a hotheaded werewolf, the most volatile wolf in the pack, maybe even the world if there were other packs on other reservations, but I was not afraid to push him, this werewolf. He knew it and I knew it.

I felt his nose gently bump onto my cheek and heard him inhale my scent. He was right to do so; I was aroused.

He pulled back a little and I grabbed him by the roots of his hair so hard that my hand began to throb, touched his lips with mine and forced my tongue into his mouth. I had never been so upfront before. I couldn't afford to be with Edward, but with him, with this wolf, I couldn't afford _not_ to be this close to him. He seemed surprised momentarily and his whole body twitched, but then he snaked his arms around my hips and returned the kiss, slowly and quite diligently. I retreated a little, my back pushing further into the wall, but he stole back my tongue, forcing me to keep reacting to his heat. His fingers scraped across my whole torso, grabbing my face, and leaving a burning trail behind every surface that was touched. His mouth moved with certainty, but he was so tranquil that I never would have thought that he could ever be so feral with me again. He even seemed tamed.

I pushed my body further into him as the kiss deepened and I heard him make a gurgling sound with his throat. "Bella," it sounded like. _Sure, now he gets my name right_.

I shook the thought from my mind, continuing with the kiss. His hips pressed into mine, making my body tingle, and I was sure that all I wanted to do was keep kissing him. I nodded my head, to confirm my own suspicions and he pushed his face into my neck, leaving my lips behind for the moment.

"Jesus Christ," one of us mumbled. I was so in tuned with him that I wasn't sure which one of us wanted to kiss more. Suddenly I knew.

He grabbed my waist and began kissing a trail from the side of my mouth down to the hollow of my neck. I shuddered against him, but did not pull away. I had never orgasmed with another person before, but I was pretty sure I was close to doing so. He kissed the throbbing vein in my throat, and I smiled as his soft hair grazed my cheek. He angled my face lightly with his tongue, careful not to force me lest I stop him too soon, and touched the bottom of my chin with his right hand. His nose moved, inhaling me again, and I rubbed the side of his face with my palm.

_What was I doing with this kid? No, not a kid. This was a man. Maybe he could even be mine, one day._

"Bella," he said again as hips came between my slightly open thighs. I gasped when I felt something thick and hard between them. I bit my lip and he moved slowly again, closer to my face. I felt his fingers move toward my back, pulling me even closer and he grinned a little. I held my breath as his lips glided over my entire face before landing on my mouth again. I hunched my shoulders and my thoughts became consumed with nothing else but our kiss.

"Oh my God, Paul," I finally answered back.

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***A/N: Promises, promises. ;-)**


	2. Every Day is Exactly the Same

**Story Summary:** A tragedy worse than just Edward leaving forces Bella to grow up faster than imaginable and makes her fall in love with someone whose existence was seemingly impossible, but it's not Jacob Black. Set just after Bella's dream about who Jacob really is, she rushes over to his house on the La Push reservation, where she meets more members of his pack and takes the time to fall for one. BxP/AU/M. Please enjoy.

**Chapter Summary:** An angry teen's involuntary phase into the next chapter of his life; Bella drives to La Push in her truck to confront Jacob, her former best friend with a dark, tribal secret that he has apparently inherited. While there, she confronts her own delusions about how special Jacob has been all along, sees him as he truly is for the first time, and meets his other pack mates.

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**Title: Paw Prints & Other Distractions**

**Chapter I: 'Everyday is Exactly the Same,' by Nine Inch Nails**

Setting: After Bella wakes up from dreaming about Jacob, she heads for her Chevy truck to drive over to Jacob's to say what she knows about his new late night activities. Edward really did leave and the Cullens are not hiding out in Forks in a cave somewhere. This is purely an impulse story with no rules for chapter titles or endings and Paul is a lot more boisterous than Jacob is when he tells me what he wants; I like it already.

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**PPOV (Paul's Point of View)**

_Months ago…_

The almond-toned Quileute beauty under my arm kept blowing in my ear, and it was starting to get on my nerves; I was already running some kind of fever and the extra hot air was becoming bothersome. Why did all girls think blowing on a guy's neck was sexy? It was sexy when _we_ did it, not the other way around. And we only did it because we knew that it got a chick off, making her anticipate feeling the real heat that we had in store for them. But Dina, the granddaughter of one of the chief elders that sat on the reservation's council, was flirting with my last nerve as she continued to swoon, rustle my hair, and blow on my ear and neck.

_Patience, Paul_, I calmly told myself. _You just need to say a few more right words and this girl will be yours_. I maliciously added, _That'll teach her grandfather to set me on curfew._ I wasn't his kid; how dare he force a curfew on me just because I had gotten into a fight at school. The principal hadn't even suspended me, but the elders can punish me just because they sit high on the council? I don't think so.

I forced Dina to stop, grabbed her roughly, and pushed my hand up her skirt. Of course she was excited already; this was too easy.

"God Paul, wait till we get in your house first," she squealed happily.

"Don't want to wait," I whispered.

"Well we have to," Dina insisted, her jade colored eyes batting at me. "My grandfather will kill me if he hears that we've been seeing each other."

_Seeing each other_? I bit back a laugh. I had only just started talking to her two days after the elders had issued that mandated curfew on me. Stupid bitch didn't know any better, but I was only interested in making her grandfather pissed. Who would want the 'bad boy of La Push' making moves on their granddaughter?

I pushed myself forward, kissing the bottom of her jaw and groaned a little into her hair. I jabbed my finger into her side and she jumped at my prodding touch.

"Paul, I'm serious."

I grew annoyed. "You want to be with me or not?" I snapped.

"Well of course I do, but we're just moving so fast and we're out in the open—"

"That'll heighten the experience," I urged. "Come on; it'll be great."

She pulled back a little. _Too eager, Paul. Way too eager._ Dina was getting nervous; I could smell it on her. Her fear and anxiety entered my nose and made my muscles tense in preparation for attack, wanting to prey on her naivety and teach her a lesson. How dare this girl get me excited and then rush to take it back.

I grabbed her arm again in agitation and dragged her to my side. "I can see you're not comfortable with having a real boyfriend, Dina. I thought that maybe you'd be the one, you know? Sorry about wasting your time."

"Wait, wait! Paul, please, I want to. I do. I've liked you for so long, but please, I promise we can do it back at your house. Let's just get there first."

"No," I said, playing the guilt trip. "I think I should take you home."

"Let's do it there then."

I could barely keep my smile back. "Really? But your parents, your grandfather—"

"Are already asleep by now," she interrupted.

"They don't like me," I glowered, pretending like I was actually concerned.

"I don't care. I do."

I grinned and gave her a light kiss. This was better than doing Dina out back behind my house; to have sex in a chief elder's house would be perfect. It's a shame I wouldn't get to do it in her grandfather's room, but maybe I would screw Dina a few more times just to get caught in the act. That'd be better than me spreading the rumor about sleeping with Dina Lahai myself; the chief elder would never be able to live down _that_ embarrassment.

We rushed over to Dina's house, me half carrying her. I was moving with a lot more speed and stealth these days. She walked into her house first and beckoned me in. I heard deep snoring coming from two rooms in the front right of the house; apparently both Dina's parents and grandfather snored. _Yuck_; _tough break_, I thought silently. I hated when chicks snored. Dina pulled me toward the back of the modest three bedroom home, one of the bigger homes on the reservation. I only lived in a small, one bedroom house with my mother. My father wasn't…never mind.

I pressed my mouth to Dina's suddenly, and she nearly dropped her purse on the floor; I caught it without breaking our kiss and tossed it on a nearby chair.

"Good eye," she muttered under the weight of my tongue.

I half nodded and pulled her to me, ripping open her denim skirt. She grunted as if she wanted to scold me for being so reckless, but I gripped her butt and dove into her body with my fingers, which caused her to buck against me and my warmth. I couldn't really be bothered with foreplay. Wet was wet to me tonight and I was just grateful that she hadn't screamed. My hips crashed into her stomach as we stumbled backward across the bedroom, hitting her antique dresser, and I already had my pants unzipped by the time she even bothered to remember that we hadn't closed the door.

"Paul, shut the door."

"In a minute." My face pressed against the skin of her arm as I lifted her leg and picked her up onto the dresser, played along her lower lips for a few seconds before putting on a condom and pressing myself into her. She made a noise and I shoved my arm closer to her face, preparing my hand to cover her mouth.

She cried out, "Paul, wait, the door—"

"They're asleep," I hissed and then replied more softly, "I just want you so much…can you blame me?"

Dina melted and nodded her head. That was the response I needed; I slipped my head in and her hair began whipping across my shoulder as her head flayed back and forth between her vanity mirror and my huge body. I grappled with her thighs a little, trying to force her body to oblige my wish to gain entrance; I could appreciate the fact that she was tight, but she was no virgin. I had no interest in playing it cool. Pretty girl or not, I just wanted her for one reason.

I pushed myself half an inch or so every few seconds so that she wouldn't scream at having to take in my size all at once; I had done this before. She moaned in my ear as my hips began to gyrate and we fell to the floor, rubbing and scratching at the rug. My knees fell in between her legs as I asserted myself on top of her. Dina sat up, attempting to kiss me but I saw through the ploy and moved my head out the way. I never kissed during sex and for me, the kissing just led up to what I considered the end of the evening. After we had sex, it was okay for one of us to leave.

Her pulse quickened, reverberating inside my head and I winced from the unpleasant sound. I pushed my fingers into her neck, trying to force back some of the noise by using my hand as another barrier to break through, but the rhythmic sonance entered my ears and wreaked havoc on my sanity. I unexpectedly heard a quick, but loud howl somewhere from outside and my eyes rolled back, welcoming the darkness; a place that I had long been a part of as I remained different from the other guys on the reservation.

Dina's fingers scraped at my abs, ruining my dreamy isolation and as punishment, I pushed my elbows out to hold her hips wider. When I slammed into her, my pelvis rubbed against her enlarged clit and she whimpered in my clutch. I glanced up at the ceiling while trying to keep a nasty look off my face. Dina didn't seem so pretty now with her face screwed up like that. She patted at my sides, trying to tell me that I was hurting her. I gave a low snarl and I rolled onto my back, letting her get on top and ride me as hard as she wanted. I was already bored. If it wasn't for getting back at the council, I never would have even looked at Dina.

"God Paul, you're getting bigger," she squeaked.

_Getting bigger_? I wasn't even excited anymore. I was just going through the motions. I nodded and just kept letting her talk even though that was also getting on my nerves.

"Paul, you're hot."

"Uh huh," I repeated.

"Paul, why are you so hot? Paul, you're hot!" She almost screamed.

"Shut up already," I said angrily, getting agitated. I growled suddenly and her eyes widened at my ferocity. She kept moving her hips against me, but I couldn't feel her anymore. All I kept thinking about was how her grandfather had been riding me the last three years and never seemed to cut me a break. All they could see was what everyone else saw; I was a hothead. I was a nobody. I was a waste of time. Dina scratched at me, her inner thighs visibly reddening against my skin, but her hips kept moving. This slut was still on my dick. "Get off!" I yelled, throwing her off of me in a rage. She flew, hitting her head against the far wall and I jumped to my feet, still seething in anger about my punishment over a lousy fight at school. The council got a say over everything that I've ever done; when was I going to be in charge of something? When was I going to get to have any power?

I roared at the still figure of Dina, half naked on the floor, and felt a torrent of heat rush to my skin. I began to paw at my thighs and chest, anxious to push down the anger, but I couldn't do it. My hair felt plastered to my skin, my head was dizzy, and my thoughts began screaming at me all at once, determined to find a way out of my imprisoned mind. I had to get out of here. I had to get out of this room.

_What was wrong with me?_

I couldn't answer. I didn't even want to be here. I clawed at a wall, desperately seeking the other side. Desperately seeking the freedom I had never been allowed to have while living on the reservation. My nails grew ragged and bloodied as I continued to scratch and bite at the wall, pieces of wallpaper clotting the blood that had begun to show on my hands. The rage stung my ribs and eyes as I bent to the pressure of my tears falling. This was a nightmare and it was mine. I yowled, hearing muffled voices from somewhere close to me.

"Paul? Paul, stop that!" a voice came from behind me.

My head turned slightly. That voice was close enough for me to hear it. It was almost on the border line of comforting. I needed to be there with it. It gave me an answer; I had to get out of this room. I needed to be out of this life.

I blinked, mistrusting the state of my own mind. I watched a tall, black figure in the window, his eyes watching me as I stood naked in front of him? _Naked_? I glanced around the room, my clothes in shards on the oak floor of Dina's bedroom. My breathing accelerated. Not only was I feeling dangerously claustrophobic, but I was also standing nude in front of a stranger. No, now there were two strangers. I narrowed my eyes as I saw Sam Uley looking at me with passivity; what was he doing here?

The other figure moved abruptly, taking my focus away from the Sam's dark outline. "Hey, you've got a naked girl on the floor. Did you drug her or fuck her unconscious?"

My pulse raced, adrenaline becoming a time stopper as I rushed at the mocking voice, not even sure who it was. Then something happened; my hands and knees fell to the floor as I ran, feeling strangely exhilarating as my toes scratched into the floor and propelled me into the wall at the side of Dina's house. I took down the wallpaper and paneled wall, feeling the wood graze and scratch at my skin as I finally made it out of that room, that house, that life. I skidded across the back lawn, crashing into a tree. I landed on my back, my body still burning in the dirt. I glanced up, feeling woozy and furry. _Furry_?

"Can't believe Paul is in our pack." A voice chatted excitedly. "I'm going to see the hottest girls in La Push and I won't even have to actually talk to them. Yo, how did you end up with Dina Lahai? Her grandfather is on the council; he's still going to kill you when he finds out that you're in the pack after what you did to her!" a kid next to me screamed.

_Huh_? I tried to speak, but my mouth felt huge, drooling and gnawing at the words instead of correctly pronouncing them. Was I that disorientated?

"Oh, don't try to talk; werewolves can't actually speak after they've changed, you know."

_Werewolves_? What the fuck was he talking about?

I shook myself, feeling something slap either side of my head. It took me some seconds to figure out that my ears were hitting me. When did my ears get so huge?

"Hey Sam, Dina okay?" the unknown Quileute teen called over his shoulder and then started laughing. "Twenty bucks says that it takes Paul at least ten more minutes to figure out that he just phased for the first time while having sex with a girl."

"Knock it off, Jared, and show him. And stop trying to bet with me. I'm not your friend; I'm your Alpha," Sam grumbled back.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Jared reluctantly admitted. "Okay, Paul, watch this." Jared stood up and suddenly his eyes went back, his hands went forward, and his spine arched his whole backside up, cracking in the night wind. His lips and nose turned hairy, producing whiskers, and as his eyes turned amaretto in shade, he let out a yowl that sounded inexplicably close to the roar I had made prior to breaking free of Dina's bedroom. Now a thick haired brown wolf stood before me, wagging his tail, and anxiously waiting for me to start screaming. I had to admit, I was a little freaked out.

I mistakenly whined, putting my new set of hands and feet under my body. My paws and legs were huge, and I was not adjusting to them quickly.

_So Paul, you remember those stories about the cold ones they use to tell us at the bonfires when we were kids_? Jared asked, not even moving his massive wolf jaws.

* * *

**BPOV (Bella's Point of View)**

_Present…_

"Wolves. Giant wolves in Forks. First it was vampires, and now its wolves. First it was vampires and now it's wolves," I repeated while drumming my fingers on my truck's dashboard. "Wolves. Vampires. Forks. Hot. Cold. Rain. Nothing to do with one another." I pushed the gas a bit harder and my truck groaned, starting to wobble under me. "Come on, come on."

I was silently praying that I was wrong. I was hoping that my imagination was getting the better of me when I dreamed the other night about Jacob turning into a giant wolf. That would explain nothing and everything that had been going on. Vampires in Forks: one falls in love with me. Werewolves in Forks: my best friend just happens to be one.

I hit my head on the wheel. "Please be normal. Please be normal," I continued to recite, but I knew it was hopeless. I wasn't normal; how could I expect anyone else to be?

My Chevy finally made it to Billy's house. My fingers were shaking with anticipation as I put my hand on the door's handle, my breathing elevating. _Crap, why am I here? Jacob told me to call. I should have called first. _I shook my head_. Too bad, Jake, _I determined. Sure, I was angry, but Jacob owed it to me to tell me the truth. And if the truth just happened to be that my boyfriend-_Darn it, Bella, he's your ex now_-was a vampire, and now my best friend was a wolf, I could accept that. Sort of. But Jacob was going to have to be the one to tell me. Not some dream. He better have a great explanation for avoiding me for so long.

"Billy? Jake?" I yelled out of the truck window. _Let's get this over with._

I took another breath and tried to step as carefully as I could out of my truck. My foot landed in the soft, mushy grass, my hair already starting to frizz in the humidity. Okay, well if my best friend really was a werewolf, I doubt he'll really be worried about my hair.

My eye caught something move just as I heard shuffling near the house. I saw three boys, or men was a better term, shirtless and looking very unfriendly, barreling their way across the front yard of the Blacks' house, their eyes focused intently on me and my truck. I recognized Embry Call quickly, but he had grown. His muscles were lean but pronounced, his hair short and almost motionless in the wind, and he moved with perfectly poise and his even steps were synchronized with the other two boys, who were standing toe-to-toe with him. I quickly gave the three shirtless men a once over, looking at their abs, their movements, and the obvious amount of power they possessed in just their walking alone. They really walked around like they owned the place. Jacob had been right; this La Push gang was keeping him away from me. Why did it matter to Sam if Jacob saw me? I grew furious.

"You," I started screaming, pounding my fists and body into the first bit of flesh I was able to touch. "What are you doing to Jacob? Who are you?"

"Hey, watch it, girl!"

I flinched away from him at the sound of his voice and my eyes settled on his hard jaw.

"Bella, relax," Embry started. "Jacob is fine. He's in the house—"

"Shut up, Soapbox. Don't tell her anything," the macho tone blared.

_Soapbox_? That must've had something to do with Embry being named after a character on his mom's soaps. I felt tightness in my chest and started to demand to know why in hell Embry couldn't say anything when I was pushed by two big hands. I stumbled back and stared at my assailant. In one breath, I took him all in. His skin did more than capture the small amount of light in the clouds, but his muscles and pecs commanded my attention, called for my respect even, as they stretched his epidermis to exhaustion. It looked tiring to be this stranger's muscles. His feet were evenly apart, his toes grabbing small blades of grass that had the nerve to be his way as he stood so close to me. I huffed in what I hoped was annoyance, but all I could really do was inhale him. He smelled even better than Jacob did. He smelled of rugged musk and maple, gently seeping out of the leaves and onto the sap that fell to the ground. The sap was fresh and almost as coffee brown as the skin he wore and his eyes were of the same shade. His eyes were the most beautiful features of them all. I was not imagining his beauty; he was a natural wonder.

"Hey. Hey, Paul." Embry put his hand on the back of the guy I had been staring at. "This is Bella. She's Jacob's friend—"

"I know who she is." Paul cut Embry off. "What I want to know is what she's doing here."

Embry looked disgusted and threw a pleading look at the other boy. "Jared, talk to your friend."

"I don't need Jared to back me up. What's she doing on our land?"

"And who are you?" I exclaimed.

"Paul. Didn't you hear him?" He pointed offhandedly toward a slightly hunched Embry. Embry looked positively embarrassed that Paul was creating a scene.

"And just who do you think you are, Paul?" I repeated.

"Much more than you are, vampire girl," he snapped.

I tensed, my hand moving to slap him. His snarl turned into a nasty grin, seeing how badly I wanted to wipe the taste from out his mouth and the arrogance off of his face.

"Careful, leech-lover. Wouldn't want you to break your hand on my face," he said contemptuously.

I was close to trembling; the way he described me sounded as if he meant it. I stood my ground under his hulking figure, his frame now blocking what little sun had peeked out. I started to feel brave, though, under his scrutiny. "You're right. I barely like touching the trash in my own house, let alone you."

Paul blinked, taking a small step toward me. I could hear a low whistle coming from both Jared and Embry. And then I heard a growl. My attention was focused intently on the huge Quileute in front of me, and though his lips had barely moved, Paul's menacing grunt shook the ground he stood on. I flexed my fingers as I saw the muscles in his neck tense, looking as though they wanted to break through his russet skin to restrain me.

"Oh, this is bad," Embry said in a low voice.

"Too late now." Jared almost sounded gleeful.

I continued to stare at Paul, not daring to take my eyes off of him. He was completely still, as if holding his breath. He glared at me, but there was something off. Paul's eyes were too bright, sparkling into mine. He didn't blink; his eyes were straining not to break contact with me, and I could see his eyes tearing from keeping them open for so long. It didn't seem to affect him as much as it was affecting me. There was no voice in my mind that told me to be afraid; after all, Edward had once been the most supernatural thing in Forks, and now we had werewolves. But if this Paul was a wolf, if he was truly like my Jacob, then I had no reason to fear him. He even made me feel differently than I had this morning. I had flung myself out of the bed and from my nightmare-filled sheets to be standing here, in front of him, in front of my best friend's house. It was now a place I felt even more comfortable being in.

I dropped my gaze for a second, no longer feel uneasy, and the spell was broken. I thought I heard one of the boys suck their teeth. "Damn, it almost started to get good," one of them voiced in displeasure.

I looked at Paul again and his posture was still rigid, but he at least he had started to blink again. I opened my mouth to speak when I heard him snarl at me again. I recoiled, but he was looking past my shoulder. I saw a red flash leap over me and push into Paul, knocking him back. A reddish-brown wolf was perfectly placed between Paul and me, growling and snapping his massive jaws at him.

"Black," Paul began, "it's not what you think—" Paul's mouth looked split in two as the red wolf pawed it, jerking Paul's face sideways and pushing him closer to the forest edge.

I widened my eyes. Was this Jacob? Oh my God, was it true? Were Jacob and his friends really werewolves? "Jacob—"

I heard a roar as Jacob started to turn in my direction. My hands broke my fall as I stumbled back, hitting the ground as Paul placed one hand in Jacob's russet fur and hoisted him over his head with a luminescent, silver paw. I stared on in horror as Jacob landed half on his back and half against a nearby fir tree. Jacob's wolf stood tall, shaking bits of leaves from his coat, and Paul now stood between Jacob and I. Paul started to shake, his skin tearing in front of me, ripping the cloth from his body, and leaving my ears with an echo of a deep yowl, bellowing in his throat. I gripped the dirt under my hands, knowing that a bit of the ground would do nothing if Paul decided to suddenly turn around to cut me in half with his teeth, but I had no choice. Jacob was getting closer and the two other members of the pack were doing nothing but watching.

"Fight, fight, fight!" they chanted.

No bell was rung to signal the start of the fight. Instead, Paul leapt forward and landed right into Jacob's side. The rest of Paul's clothes were shredded with the help of Jacob's front legs and the emergence of Paul's silver fur. As I momentarily marveled at how Paul's body became even more magnificent than it had been before, the two wolves crashed into each other with a loud boom, their mouths lurching toward one another's neck and flanks.

"No," I whispered fiercely. "No, stop!" This was all my fault. Jacob told me to just call him. He told me not to come here. What was I thinking? What was I even doing here? How could something—no, two things—happen to me here, in this place? I was so unremarkable in Phoenix. What the hell was going on? Was it in the water? "Stop it now, both of you!"

Jacob flinched as Paul barreled his head into Jacob's back, sending him across the small yard in one blink. I ran toward him, afraid that Paul had hurt him.

"Bella, no!" Sam Uley's hands were wrapped around my small frame instantly. Where had he come from? I started to beat and claw at his arms when Paul whimpered, walking slowly over to Jacob's form. _Oh no. No, Jacob. He isn't. He couldn't be. He just couldn't be_.

"Jake," I cried softly. I felt Sam's hand in my hair, but no lower. "No, please no." I had already lost Edward. Now I was about to lose my best friend.

Suddenly Paul yelped; Jacob tore into Paul's left leg, pulling him closer to his wolf form with his mouth before flinging him back into a pile of large logs of firewood. Paul bounced off the logs, splitting and cracking most of them into bits. A sob caught in my throat as Paul suddenly jumped back up and slid himself under Jacob. Jacob reached under his leg, but missed, and Paul successfully grabbed his tail, yanking him so hard that his reddish head arched back and yipped in protest. Jacob kicked, catching Paul in his stomach, and they flung themselves into a fence to the far left, tumbled down a hill, and rolled into the forest. I could still hear them snapping and snarling.

"Christ to all hell those two are going to kill each other." Sam shook his head and finally released me. He turned toward Jared and Embry, who were still borderline snickering and all-out laughing while running toward the small, cleared path of fallen trees. It was the obvious path of destruction left behind by two, hotheaded wolves. "You two, take Bella to Emily's. No trouble." Sam started to run, pulling off his shorts and shoes along the way.

I turned before I heard a loud pop, signaling that Sam had indeed turned into a wolf.

Jared chortled, putting his arms around my shoulders lightly. Embry kneeled next to me on the ground, looking at me with sympathy. Who was he to pity me? I grew angry again.

"What the hell is going on here?" I demanded.

Jared and Embry looked at each other for a moment before laughing uproariously. "I got ten bucks on Paul," Jared simply stated.

"You're on," Embry agreed. "Jacob's too much of a natural."

* * *

Emily and Sam's house was small, but it was quaint. The small garden and yard was even less spacious than the Blacks' house, but I didn't think that either Emily or Sam really cared how much space they had or where they shared their love; all that mattered was their family and each other. That's where it began and ended with them. Even I wasn't too blind to see that.

I was shaking against Emily's table, where the biggest banana-nut muffins I had ever seen were resting on a large, green serving plate. "Great," I said sourly.

Jared continued to laugh and poke Embry with a fork. I didn't know why Emily had bothered to set any silverware down in the first place. Even normal teenage boys barely used utensils while eating. _Normal?_ _There's that obscure word again, Bella_. What did I really know about normal anyway?

"You gonna to eat that, Bella?" Embry asked suddenly.

I shook my head. Embry started to reach for it when a hand reached over me and hit him. "Don't you dare take food off a woman's plate. And save some for your brothers," Emily scolded.

Jared 'tsk-tsked' at Embry's still shocked face before they both started to laugh again. I picked another small piece of my almost entirely untouched muffin, popping it into my mouth. Emily turned her face to me and I noticed three long, jagged marks etched in her skin, but I was more focused on the concern and empathy emanating off her more than anything else. "How are you feeling, Bella?" she asked.

I turned, looking at both Embry and Jared. "Like I've been thrown to the wolves."

Embry coughed and Jared resumed his laughter.

Emily gave a small smile, turning her more marred face slightly more askew. "You get use to it."

"Doubtful," I added sarcastically.

I heard hooting and a series of bangs on the table. Jared and Embry started slamming their chairs around. "Both of you, I will make you eat outside if you don't stop it. And what did I say about saving some for your brothers?" Emily asked.

"Okay, okay." Jared put the last muffin back on the table.

"I'll have to make more, and quickly. And don't you dare touch that, Jared. You either, Embry," Emily warned.

Both boys put on a mock-innocent face as Emily turned back into the kitchen. I heard footsteps on the small patio and tensed as the door was flung open revealing Sam in shorts but bare otherwise. He wore a concerned look on his face.

"Bella," he greeted me with a nod. "You two, where's Emily?" Sam asked, turning toward the still guffawing pack mates.

"In here, Sam," Emily called through the kitchen.

Without another word to the three of us, Sam walked into the kitchen, where Emily delightfully screamed, "Sam Uley!"

I grinned, feeling happy that at least Sam was safe even though I wasn't very fond of him. Was he the leader? Didn't all wolf packs have a leader? Hadn't that been what National Geographic had said? God, even watching that show had seemed so long ago. So much had changed. I had changed. Jacob had changed. Why had Sam charged after the guys like that? He didn't even have a scratch on him. _At least Sam broke up the fight, Bella_. _Yes, yes, that's right_. Sam wasn't such a bad guy after all. But he had scared Jacob so much just a few weeks ago. What had changed?

"All right. Here come the two contenders!" Jared exclaimed excitedly while continuing to crow and turned his head closer to the open door.

"Yeah, but which one of them won?" Embry wondered.

I glanced at the door and watched as Paul and Jacob walked side by side, in basketball shorts, looking serenely calm. Jacob pushed Paul a little with his shoulder into the door first. Paul looked around the room, his eyes quickly averting my prying ones, and displayed his right arm, which had a decent sized pink scar slashed across from his elbow to his wrist.

"Burn! I won! Pay up!" Embry yelled at Jared, jumping up so fast that the chair screeched across the floor, scratching it.

"Not my floor! Darn it, Embry Call—"

"Sorry, Em!" Embry shouted over his shoulder. "Dude, pay up, now," he added while turned toward Jared.

"Oh man. Paul, how the hell did you let him kick your ass? You've been phasing longer than him." Jared said.

Paul shrugged, looking annoyed. "Off my game."

"That doesn't happen. What gives?"

I saw Paul shrink back and move a vacant chair further from my side of the table.

I picked up the rest of my muffin without biting into it, pushing it against my mouth just to look busy. Paul shifted his weight, and muttered something in my general direction, continuing to look past me. I held my breath as I felt the passing heat from his voice, not at all minding the warmth, and felt the urge to abruptly reach out and touch his arm. I couldn't believe how much I felt for this Paul. I couldn't believe what Jacob had done to his own brother. Well, pack mate, anyway.

Then I heard a muffled sound and it grabbed my attention.

"What?" I asked, immediately turning toward the guys.

"She didn't hear you, Paul." Jacob spoke up.

My gaze went toward Paul, but he kept his eyes away from me still. "I said 'sorry.' Okay?"

I started to accept his apology, but Paul already looked as if he had moved on and turned his body completely away from me. _Jeez, he was big_.

Jacob stood by the door, his cocky presence shining into the room. He gave me a grin and I smiled back, unable to stay mad at my best friend though he had been avoiding me for over a week.

"Hey," Paul interjected, suddenly agitated again. "There's only one muffin left. I'm hungry."

"Em is making some more," Embry said.

Paul snorted. "You guys are such assholes. You always eat all the damn muffins."

"Oh yeah?" Jared placed his hand on the last pastry, tossed it back, and took a huge bite of the muffin as it landed.

"FUCK!" Paul jumped over the table, his fist landing squarely on Jared's nose.

"Shit, Paul! Relax!"

"Get the fuck off me, Call!" Paul threw Embry such a dirty look that I retreated. My chair moved. Paul's eyes were on me instantly. I held my breath. "Why the fuck is she still here?" he roared, asking the same question from earlier.

"I—I," I started to sputter. Paul's arm moved closer to mine and Jacob was between us, again, in a flash.

"She has every right to be here," Jacob said easily. "She needs our protection just as much as anyone. She knows what they are."

"That makes it worse," Paul stated coldly.

"Paul, don't you dare phase in my house!" Emily shouted. Sam was already in the archway of the kitchen door.

Paul looked at Jared, still bleeding on the floor. "He ate the last muffin," Paul whined.

"Here," I declared. I stepped from behind Jacob and pushed the rest of my muffin toward Paul's shaking arm. I left my forefinger on the plate. "I know it's probably less than what you were hoping for, but it's yours. Emily is making some more. Maybe this will hold you until then." The words tumbled out of my mouth, but I meant every word. Jacob was already watching us both, but I continued to stare intently at Paul, hoping to see what I saw in his eyes back when we were at Jacob's house. I was already addicted to the euphoria, the constant dreamy state that had taken me from my nightmare and plucked me right in front of him. It made me think that was where I wanted to be though I had only just met him.

Paul's eyes lowered to the baked good and then back to me. "You don't know me. Why are you giving me this?"

"I don't know." I glanced down, feeling self conscious. "Do you want it?"

Paul moved his head and arm closer to me. His breathing was slow and even. I could see his chest contracting with each breath he took. He stopped shaking and his thumb rubbed the green plate under my abandoned muffin, making its way toward my finger, still resting on the plate. I choked on a bit of air as my finger felt a jolt; his thumb brushed the skin of my knuckle, making the small hairs on my neck and arms stand, and then he snatched the plate away from me. He sat back in a chair, making it creak and shake under his weight as he fingered the rest of the muffin in his hand before taking a mouthful in front of me.

"Suit yourself. Nothing is better than Emily's muffins."

I looked up angrily and Paul was sitting up, gloating that he had taken my muffin. I took a step forward, but Jacob placed his body between me and the table. And Paul.

"Hey, if she wants to hit me, let her. I do hit back, though," Paul taunted.

"He's a dick, Bella. Let him be."

I let out a frustrated scream into Jacob's shoulder.

"Relax, babe," Paul continued. "When was the last time someone helped relieve your stress?"

"You, you," I started sputtering. "You little—"

"Trust me, babe. I'm not little," he retorted with an even bigger smile. "Wanna see?"

"Paul, that's enough." Sam stepped to the front. "Jacob, help Bella. Make sure she gets home okay. Paul, no more talking."

"But—" Paul started to protest.

Suddenly Sam spoke swiftly in a jumble of words I didn't catch, and Paul's lips soon folded under each other, resembling a cartoon that had eaten too much sour candy. His mouth twisted and his eyes squeezed shut, as if in pain. He turned his body toward me, almost overturning the table with such a sharp move. I felt a pang of guilt, as if it were my entire fault again.

"What happened? Why does he look like that?" I asked, still looking at the hurt on Paul's face.

"Gag order," Jacob admitted.

"Yeah, but don't worry, Bella." Embry moved closer to me. "Once Paul opens his mouth, he's unstoppable until you issue one."

"How do you get it off?" I asked, while Paul struggled to eat the muffin that I had given him. I almost started to laugh at his attempt to take even small bites with his mouth clearly obstructed by some force that I could not see.

"Sam has to take it off, but believe me, when Sam does, you don't want to be here. Paul always lets out a string of curses once the order is off. It's like he can't wait to start mouthing off again."

I turned toward Jacob, who increased his hold on me. "Is every day like this?"

Jacob's smile was wistful. "Every day is exactly the same."


	3. A New Momentum

**Chapter Summary:** Bella's kiss with a friend is not at all what she pictured it and she feels as if she is never going to be the girl that he wants her to be, but that doesn't keep her best friend from trying to please her anyway. Meanwhile, a pack member is holding back and keeping a secret from the rest of his brothers, desperate to figure out why him and more importantly, why her.

* * *

**Chapter II Title: 'A New Momentum,' by Chevelle**

"I told you to call, Bella."

Standing on First Beach, I turned my head away from Jacob. I wasn't too keen on hearing him say that I had been wrong and that I had refused to listen to him, again. He turned into a giant seven-foot wolf, and I am the one that is in trouble? Unbelievable.

"Knock it off, Jacob. I am not in the mood." I sighed and plopped onto another log, anxious to get away from him and his piercing stare. He was starting to make me nervous. Jacob had already proven that he was observant and that was before he turned into a werewolf.

"Are you in the mood to attend your own funeral because that is exactly what is going to happen to you, Bells. What the hell were you thinking, coming here? Not to mention what the hell was wrong with you when you decided to put yourself in danger by pissing off Paul—"

"He wasn't going to hurt me," I declared, shocking myself and Jacob.

"What?"

"I said that he wasn't going to hurt me. He didn't even change into a wolf until you came bounding over me like you did."

"I had to!" Jacob screamed, shifting my attention toward him again. "He would have phased had I given him the chance. He's like the resident hothead and whore of the La Push reservation. He's done worse for much less of a cause and that was before his pre-phasing days. Bella, I had to protect you. I need to protect you."

"Protect me from what? Paul?"

"Anyone who gets in the way," Jacob swore. "I'll get anyone who tries to hurt you, Bella. And that's a promise."

"Paul is your pack mate. He wasn't going to do anything."

"Did you see that look in his eyes?"

I glanced at Jacob, suddenly nervous. Had Jacob seen the look in Paul's eyes too? "What look?" I asked nervously.

Jacob seemed satisfied at my apprehension and pressed on. "Paul has this way with women. He makes them all aglow and fuzzy with just one look. Makes them think they are safe, warm and loved, but in the end, he just leaves them. He's always been like that, and he's not going to change."

"So…so, he makes women feel safe and secure with one look? How do you know?"

"Because it's Paul!" Jacob barked. "He's a liar, saying whatever he needs to say to get you in bed with him. He's touched and fucked so many girls that the state of Washington should open up their own CDC, just to treat all the girls he's infected."

"Infected with what?"

"God, I don't know, Bella!" he shouted. "I stay out of his head. It's gross. You do the same; keep out of his sights."

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. "Give me a break, Jacob. I think you are being a little unfair."

"Am I?" he asked sarcastically.

"Yes, you are." I stated. "Paul wasn't going to do anything. I know it."

"How do you now that, Bella?"

"I just do. And I don't need protection, and I don't need you telling me what to do either. You're not Charlie."

"I'm your best friend."

"You're also a werewolf. That was one hell of a secret to keep from me when I am supposed to be your best friend."

"I couldn't tell you anything! Sam forbade it."

"Do you always listen to Sam?"

"When he slaps me with a gag order, yeah, I do."

"So what else can you not tell me?" I asked as quietly as I could, but I was growing red in the face from my anger.

Jacob noticed. He took a step back and turned his head slightly, shaking it. "I'm sorry, Bells. You're right. I should have been there. I was—I mean I still _am_ your best friend. And I'm really sorry I kept you out for so long, but you've gotta understand that you kept me out too. You never shared with me that the cold ones existed. I thought they were just dumb old stories that the elders used to tell to scare kids."

I chuckled, no longer feeling as annoyed as I once did. "Well, they would have scared normal kids, at any rate."

"Not you, though," Jacob said, looking hopeful.

"No, not me," I reaffirmed.

Jacob moved closer, and before I could stop him, his soft lips were on mine, and our heads were moving with each other's in unison. He pushed his face further into the kiss and lightly touched my sides. Jacob offered his tongue, and I poked at it a little and dug my toes into my shoes. My feet sunk further into the sand. I could feel him smiling as our kiss grew longer and the sun moved further overhead, pushing the weather to be ten degrees higher than what was normal for this time of year in Forks. _Humph, Forks?_ I thought as I dug my nails into Jacob's neck. I could get use to Forks even if Edward was never coming back.

_Never coming back?_

I sobbed into Jacob's kiss, but it sounded more like I was exhaling heavily into his mouth. Jacob pulled back a little and saw me starting to cry. He gently fingered my tears and pushed my hair back with the same hand. My neck started to hurt from looking up at him, but I couldn't stop Jacob now. If I didn't have his warm arms around me now, I would have be done for. I really would have to admit that Edward was indeed gone, and that I was kissing my best friend on the beach. I was kissing my best friend on the beach, yes; I was enjoying it, yes, but Jacob was not Edward. Jacob wasn't even the person I wanted. _Who do you want, Bella? What do you really want? _I silently asked.

"I am in love with you, Bella."

_Christ, I didn't want that._ I groaned, unable to speak.

**PPOV**

_Not too far..._**  
**

Sam removed my gag order soon after the 'lovebirds' left, and as soon as I was able, I jogged into the forest. I kicked a rock a few hundred feet before it _powwed!_, burying its way into the trunk of a long-since-dead tree. Dead heart, dead tree. That's me. No roots to speak of, and no home to belong to. I was just like that tree. I was just as homeless and dead as that tree. "Great, now I'm feeling sorry for myself, too." Everyone on the reservation hated me. I knew that. I didn't care. All the girls that I slept with-they didn't matter. They use to love me. I gave myself an evil grin. "Yeah, they did love me. Bet I could make them fall back in love with me too," I said excitedly. Girls, women, whatever were easy. No one had ever liked me for being me. I snorted. _Who cares_. What did I care about them anyway? No one liked me. In fact, the only reason the elders liked me at all was because I could change into a wolf. No other reason.

I gave a wheezed laugh, but it sounded hollow. Not my usual, cocky bray that I often let out when I had a secret that no one else around me knew. _A secret?_ _Yeah, a secret. Just like the one you're keeping from your brothers now. _

I picked up another rock and started to grind it in my hand, turning it easily to powder. "So much power. So much…what a waste that it has to be caged here in La Push," I grumbled loudly.

Werewolves, as protectors, couldn't leave. They had to stay and make do with what they could in Forks. Of course they could travel to Port Angeles or other cities, like Seattle, but that was it. That's all she wrote. And whomever my mate would be, they would have to stay and accept that too. "That'll be a fun conversation to have with her." _Her_. Oh my God, who was she? Who was Swan? Who was she really? Did she know? Did she see in my eyes how I really felt?

"Nah," I told myself. "She couldn't even see that those parasites were bad news, vegetarians or not. She doesn't know anything, and I don't have to tell her shit."

"It might be better if you were the one to tell her before one of your brothers stumble onto your secret and blab it themselves," a voice interrupted my solitude.

I turned my neck. I was so engrossed in my own selfish thoughts that I hadn't heard Sam approach. The daydreaming of past and future conquests had me confused. I had become annoyed by my present situation in La Push, and my feelings for…leech lover? _Eck_!

"No one goes in my mind. They think it's too disgusting," I boasted. "They can't stand all the great things I've done with these hands to all those women's bodies."

"I agree that it is disgusting in there," Sam said, "But that's not what concerns me. You have to tell Bella."

I backed away from my Alpha. "Tell her what?"

"That she's your imprint."

I bit back a laugh. "What makes you so sure that she is? And how do you know anyway?" I challenged.

"I've seen the look before," Sam admitted. "You need to tell her before the pack finds out and does it for you. You also need to tell Jacob."

Now I did laugh, mocking even the forest that covered us. "I don't think so. Did you see what the little prince did to me when he thought that I was going to attack her back at his house? I wasn't going to do anything. I had already backed down. Now I'm supposed to tell him that because I want her, he's never going to have the girl he's madly in love with? No way. La Push will be a big fuckin' crater under the weight of his wrath. He'll swear revenge. You really want to be responsible for that?"

"It's not my call. Our ancestors saw fit to place you two together."

"Together? No, I don't think so." I argued. "She's a vampire's girl."

"She was, yes." Sam agreed.

"I shouldn't want her in that way."

"That's not your choice either."

"She doesn't even like me you know. She's wanted to slap me twice since we've met, three hours and six minutes ago."

"Since when did you start counting minutes?" Sam asked jokingly.

My face paled. _Oh my God_.

"And besides," Sam said, smiling, "Don't most women want to hit you at some point during the evening anyway?"

"That's usually after I tell them to put their clothes back on and get out."

Sam shook his head. "You need to tell her."

"The imprint is wrong."

"You won't find that out until you try it."

"You're a bullshit leader, Alpha."

Sam grinned, knowing that I didn't mean it. "And you're fighting against the most natural thing in the world."

**BPOV**

I felt Jacob's lips on mine again, but I was not eager to resume where we had left off.

Jacob's tongue continued to dance over my mouth, but my body had seized up on me. My back went straight and my movements became choppy almost like a badly rehearsed play.

"Bella, just let your body feel what it needs to feel," Jacob instructed.

_Listen to him, the kissing expert_. I shook my head, not willing to move any further with him. "I can't. I'm sorry, Jake, but I can't."

"Is this because I told you that I love you?" He sounded hurt. I wouldn't even look into his face.

"Jake, no, that's not why," I insisted. "I love you too."

"Then what is it?" Jacob demanded.

"I just don't love you in that way. I…I never have." I hated to admit it, but Jacob at least deserved that part of the truth.

"That's because that parasite was always around. I know you love me as more, Bells. You have to. We spend so much time together. I know you. I really do know you."

"Jake, this has nothing to do with Edward." _Okay, maybe that was a lie_. "You're just—"

"See, you even said his name out loud," Jacob insisted. "That proves you're getting better, and it's because of me."

"Of course it's because of you. It's just that after everything, Jake, you're still just my best friend. My best friend that I love and respect because of how much you helped me. A best friend that I am lucky to have. One that I hope to continue to have even after today, the day that I let him kiss me without punching him," I added, only half-joking.

Jacob laughed a little and cradled my face. "You really would hurt your hand if you hit me, Bella. Paul wasn't lying about that."

"Oh." My interest piqued a little despite the minor annoyance I felt in myself for paying closer attention at all. "So, Paul doesn't lie about everything."

"Alright, most things. When it suits him and makes him look better, he won't lie. Okay? Happy now?"

"Not really." Paul was the other imaginary force in my head, pulling at my strands and keeping me from being truly honest with Jacob. There was something about him. Something more than just his eyes. "Any other things I should know about your brothers, besides not to piss them off?" I teased.

"Nope. That's it." Jacob pulled me closer into a half-hug, and I kissed his cheek, feeling a bit more affectionate toward him now that we had shared our first (and last) kiss. He would make his future wife proud one day; he was a great kisser. Jacob turned more into me. " Bella, since you know about me and my...situation, will you still let me come by and see you? Can the best friend drive you home?"

"The Best Friend can do both." I squeezed him tighter.

* * *

_A few days later…_

I sat down at my desk in bedroom, feeling exhausted that I was out of bed so early in the morning but I was still full of so much energy. There was so much to tell Alice. _The Alice that was no longer there_, my thoughts cried out. I sighed, starting to feel depressed again, but not because of the loss of Edward, but more as a loss of the family I once had. Alice was still my sister and I missed her terribly. The truth was that I still wrote to Alice's no-longer-working email from time to time. The email went on more like a long rambling letter that had no ending, but I kept writing anyway. Alice's former email server always sent the same unopened email back to me seconds after I would hit the 'Send' button, but I still wrote it. It was therapeutic. Maybe it was my way of convincing myself that Edward, Alice, and all of the Cullens were once real for me. They once lived in a place called Forks, WA and that they changed my life.

I glanced out my window. It was dusk. I would only have a short time to write the correspondence. It would take maybe fifteen minutes to boot up my computer and to finish typing the email before I would have to start getting dress for school. At least I was going on my senior trip today, so I wouldn't need to do that much preparing. No books. No bag. Just myself. _Just Bella and her thoughts_.

I exhaled again and started to _click_ and _clank_ at the keyboard in front of me.

**_Alice,_**

**_It's Bella. I hope you are doing well. It's still a struggle not to have you around. It still hurts not to have Edward around too. I know; I know you're shocked that I can actually write his name now when before I would be reduced to nothing but tears every time I even thought his name inside my own mind, but it's different now. I'm different now. In the past couple of months without you, I've learned so much about myself and what kind of relationship I had with your brother. For the sake of all arguments, he is your brother, you are still my sister, and he is still the love of my life. But there is room for other things now and I am welcoming the chance to get reacquainted with the 'new' things that are in my life._**

**_Charlie. Charlie is fine. He is still that same stubborn man he was when you left._**

I struggled not to wipe my tears that flooded my eyes at the computer screen.

**_I worry about him still, but that is a part of his job as chief. What's not to worry about, I ask?_**

I sniffled, still intent on writing the letter.

**_He's still looking for bears. You know the bear attacks that have been happening close to Forks lately? I told you about them in our last email. I have not seen any others of your kind around. I must admit that I originally thought that it was you or others like you that were being mistaken for bears, but now I know better. I even know who one of them is._**

I swallowed a bit before plunging into my furious typing once more.

**_Oh Alice, it's Jacob. Jacob is one of them. He's not a bear, but that's what they are being mistaken for. There are wolves. Real werewolves in Forks. Can you believe it? I could scarcely believe it myself until I saw one of them change before me. Jacob is in a pack now. There are others like him, but they are not the ones hurting people. I knew Jacob would never hurt anyone, but to hear that they are not the ones responsible for all the dying hitchhikers is still a relief. Jacob has told me that it is the work of a vampire. He used a horrible word; he calls your kind 'leeches,' and I've asked him to stop, but he just looks at me. He even thinks that it is you, the Cullens, but I told him that it couldn't be. The Cullens would never hurt anyone, I said. They couldn't._**

I looked hesitantly over my shoulder, now seeing the sunlight slowly creep in through my semi-closed shades.

**_It might be Victoria._**

I shuddered.

**_I told Jacob about Victoria and he has said not to worry. Now that I know that Jake and I are still friends, I don't doubt that he'll keep me safe. His whole pack will_.**

My cheeks started to feel a smile that I had been trying to hide, but could not any longer.

**_His pack, his brothers are interesting. They take their responsibility as werewolves so seriously, but yet when they are human, they act so much like kids. It's refreshing, and at the same time astonishing to see them. The way they joke and laugh, you would never think that so much rests on their shoulders. It is so much weight for them to bear. I do not know how Jacob does it. Or how he will continue to do it. Jacob is amazing though; he can do anything. He even stood up for me against his pack mate, Paul—_**

I cut my sentence off and started to backspace the entire thing, but I couldn't. I watched the blinking cursor a full space after Paul's name, written handsomely on the computer screen in small font and was mesmerized by it. _Paul, Paul, Paul, _I mused_. What was in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet_, the great Shakespeare wrote on behalf of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Paul. Paul was his name. What was the meaning of Paul's name? Why am I bothered by it? Why am I questioning it? I shook my head. _Bella, why are you comparing Paul to a rose?_ I asked myself. Paul is not sweet and he is certainly no rose. The closest he would ever be to a rose is to serve as its thorn. _A thorn in my side_, I thought maliciously.

Suddenly a shooting sting went through my chest, serving almost as a warning alert moments before my alarm for school went off. I groaned. I had spent exactly fifteen minutes writing my email to Alice and now it would have to go unfinished until I could get back home from school. _Oh just send as it is, Bella. I doubt Alice will mind_, I resolved. "You got it," I said out loud. I reached over and slapped the snooze button down on the clock before plopping back into my small rocking chair to finish typing.

I concluded my email, deleting out Paul's name and put a 'period' after pack mate. I typed my name at the bottom and wrote "To be continued…" at the end before hitting the 'send' button. I blinked once and the mailer-daemon had already sent back the unanswered email to my inbox. As I shut down my computer, I began to think again about Paul. After the short afternoon I had had with Jacob and his brothers, I knew the least about him. _Do you really want to know anything more about him, Bella? Hadn't Jacob said enough?_ I bit my lip. "If Jacob had said enough, I wouldn't want to know more about him."

My alarm's buzzing noise went off again and I flew into a rush to gather my clothes and the few things that I would be taking on the senior trip. If I didn't hurry, I was going to be late. After pulling up my jeans, hurrying down the stairs, and saluting Charlie on the way out, I drove to school.

* * *

The Forks High School senior trip was to the annual Cross-County Boat Show they held every year somewhere in the state of Washington; this year, they picked the small township of Forks. The high school had saved money to sponsor the event but were outbid by a private company. As a constellation prize, the winning sponsor decided to give free tickets and grand tours to the high school for the rest of the year; thus, allowing Forks high school students to see the boat show. Why the school made this the senior event of the year when it's so early in February, I had no idea. I supposed they were grasping at straws anywhere they could to save money.

I knew one thing for certain: I hated boats. And I knew another thing; I was never going to want to own one. Flashy things were Edward's thing, not mine. All I had wanted to do at the time was spend time with Edward, and though our relationship had seemed a little unorthodox to others, it had meant the world to me.

I just wished that I could have been given a sign of Edward's departure. Something before he left. Maybe now I would not be subjected to this senior trip with my head waving over a railing and about to be sick. It even hurt my ego a little bit when I realized that the boat that I was in was not moving.

I was sure that my face resembled my least-favorite color in the whole world; green.

I bounced off Angela and Ben, who were on either of my sides, shadowing me as I looked ready to hurl over the edge of a jet boat, anxiously trying to hold onto the fries that I had for lunch. A hand patted me on the back roughly, and I turned, ready to throw up in the person's face. All I did was gurgle some saliva and force it back down my throat. Mike Newton would have not looked good in the color yellowish emerald.

"You alright, Bella?" Mike asked, while continuing to hit me on the back. I jolted from his hand, trying to keep the dizziness from completely taking over my sight.

"Fine, Mike. Just fine."

I turned back toward the announcer, a short impish man with large black glasses and suspenders. He was continuing to speak into the small microphone, as if the rest of the class was paying attention instead of trying to impress their neighbor by repeating, "Someday, I'm going to own this boat" or "that boat." _Saying it 100 times does not make this speedboat any more yours than mines, Tyler_.

I was cranky.

Charlie was spending too much time on the job, looking for the "bears" that didn't exist and making me worry. And to top it all off, Jacob was gone again. He was always out patrolling, and he never seemed to have as much time for me as before. I had asked if he was avoiding me because I wouldn't profess the same love that he had for me, but Jacob had only laughed and replied "no" before leaping out of my window. I hated when he did that. Werewolf or not, super-healing powers or not, I still worried about my sixteen-year old best friend, who was in love with me.

"The Aurora 20' Sport Merc SportJet 175 is a beautiful boat!" our guide continued to blare through the mike. "The classic, tough, extruded aluminum construction is built to last and works great in our environment. The 175 SportJet works very well in this hull providing approximately 40mph capability with light loads, and the small motorbox gives you a lot of room inside for a 20' hull. Some of these boats can go up to 650 miles per hour with the right engine. A real lady pleaser, gentleman, a real lady pleaser."

I rolled my eyes as Jessica and Lauren swooned and made goo-goo eyes at Mike and Tyler. Whoever heard of going to a boat show for a field trip? Is that all Forks is known for? Rain, beaches and the supernatural? _Oh, Bella. The supernatural does exist in Forks, doesn't it?_

I fingered a white boat, not caring to glance at the name. Angela gave me a small nod, knowing that I wanted to be alone. She grabbed Ben by the arm and pulled him along, leaving me to my thoughts. _Dangerous times, Bella. Dangerous times_. I exhaled heavily.

"What's the Swan got to be all huffy about today?" a voice called behind me.

I turned and did nothing but stare back. "Oh jeez, not you again."

* * *

***A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging before the New Year; I did not do it on purpose. Thanks again for all those who have reviewed, alerted, etc. thus far that I have not had a chance to thank personally yet. Have a great & Happy New Year and I'll be posting again within the first week I get back. Thanks a bunch, guys!**


	4. Topless

**Chapter Summary:** Bella sees firsthand the effect that she is having on Paul although they both refuse to admit it. Bella is disgusted and annoyed at Paul's recent abhorrent behavior in public and wants nothing else to do with him, regardless of whether he resides in Jacob's pack or not. Paul is at his wits end when he attempts to figure out how he really feels about the 'leech-lover' and tries to force himself to "forget" about her completely; the end result is disastrous.

* * *

**Chapter III: 'Topless,' by Breaking Benjamin**

"Not you. Not you," I chanted.

Paul smiled at me, stepping even closer. "What's wrong? Not happy to see me?"

I ignored his question. "What are you doing here?" I complained.

"Relax, Swan, I have to be here. The prince was worried that something might happen to you on the field trip, and I was nominated," he stated, making surprisingly quick movements with his huge hands.

"The prince? Nominated?" I questioned.

"Black is the prince," Paul clarified. "And yeah, as in I was forced to be here."

Now I was insulted. He was ordered to be around me. Paul didn't really like me at all. "You can leave at any time."

"Yeah right, babe. I'll just go against the gag order and go to a bar instead, where I can drink and actually look at girls that aren't jail bait."

"We're jail bait for you?" I arched my eyebrow. "You're eighteen?"

"No, I'm not. I'm seventeen, but I like my women older."

"Oh." I quickly became disappointed, but I shook the disconcerting thought from my mind. What did I care who he dated? "I'm eighteen," I announced, not really knowing what else to say.

"Yeah?" His interest suddenly seemed piqued, his breath pushing back the hair off my neck. "Wanna be my cougar?" he whispered.

"God, no!" I pushed him as he turned his upper body to me, making me palm his pecs through his red shirt. I inhaled sharply, and he looked impressed with himself. His eyes danced, and his irises flickered with a sudden softness. I wondered if that was the "safe feeling" that Jacob had been talking about days earlier. I tore my hands away from his chest.

Paul blinked and turned away. "Your loss."

If I hadn't known any better, I would have thought he was disappointed too.

"Your friends are boring, too," Paul proclaimed abruptly. "All they do is chat incessantly with one another about wanting to own this or that when they don't know anything about the machines they're standing in. You need a better taste in friends."

"Like who?" I demanded.

"Like me."

"Friends with you? Why? What's your angle?"

"No angle," he smirked. "I just think I would look better on your arm than any of these losers."

"And just what number would I get to be?" I scorned. "Lucky number 127?" I asked, picking the first number that came into my head.

Paul looked taken aback for a moment. "Who blabbed? Did the prince blab? What a big mouth."

"You know what, Paul." I started. "I might have considered being friends with you if you weren't so nasty."

"Aww, babe, being nasty has more advantages than you think. For starters, I could do some interesting things with my—"

"Ugh!" I walked away from him quickly, my cheeks burning as I did so.

"Come on, Swan! I didn't even get to tell you what I've got hidden under my mattress!" Paul called after me.

"That's it, that's it. I never want to be by this kid again," I said to myself. "He is so gross. Anyone but him. I'll tolerate anyone but him."

I was going to have to talk to Jacob about this; if I had to accept Jacob and all his other pack mates, that was fine, but I would not allow Paul to keep acting like he did around me. Not with the way he talked. _Oh my God, the way he talked_. It was like fire under my skin how I felt when Paul talked. What was wrong with me? Why was I going back and forth like this? Why was Paul torturing me? How could he? Why did it feel like Paul could make the mountains move with his deep, burly voice? He'd make the trees bow and the dirt underneath shift from the movements. Oh, to be underneath Paul—

"Bella! Hey, Bella!"

_Crap_! "Yeah, Mike?" I asked, breaking my internal rants.

"Was that kid bothering you?" Mike pointed toward where Paul and I had been standing. Paul was now leaned over, talking to an olive-skinned brunette with hair clips and a cream skirt. I shook my head, amazed at how quickly he moved from one girl to the next without even stopping to breathe.

"No, he's moved on," I said. _Onto the next prey_.

**PPOV**

I watched Bella from the corner of my eye, able to keep my eye on the fast-talking brunette who was playing with her hair in front of me and still hearing every word that transpired between her and the other pale-faced kid who Jacob had often called 'a marshmallow.' Is this Mike dude serious? Does he really think he can take me on in a fight? I wouldn't even have to have been a werewolf to kick his ass. Who does he think he is, offering to protect what's mine?

_What's mine? Christ, Paul, Bella isn't yours. _I thought to myself, giving an evil grin_. Not yet_, _not today_, I couldn't help but add. "Wás x̩ax̩íḳtiya," I whispered, making the girl in front of me giggle. I knew she had no idea what I had just said. _Not today_, I muttered in my native language. The brunette didn't even know that I wasn't talking about her.

It had been four days since I had seen Bella with my own eyes and I had been about to lose my mind. I had skipped school to spend some time with her. Jacob hadn't sent me at all; no one except Jared even knew I was skipping school, and I only told him so that he could cover for me. Told him I had some chick to surprise with lunch at work and that if I was lucky, I would get more to eat than just food during her break. Jared had told me to "go for it," and my lies led me here, here to piss off my potential mate for life. _What the hell_? I couldn't see it. Bella Swan, really? How? Why? I was more of a redhead kind of guy anyway. Hot, natural redheads were an abnormality in Forks. I supposed it had something to do with the sun, though what the sun had to do with red hair, I didn't know. Or maybe I was just so in love with myself that I loved everything red. That could be true, too. It would explain why I loved pink so much…besides it being the favorite color of a woman's—_argh! Shut up!_

"Hey, what's your name, sweetie?" she whispered seductively.

My attention was still only partially on the brunette, but I had played dumb before. I had already forgotten what she told me her name was. "Paul," I answered shortly, already weary of the game she and I were playing. I had just needed to look busy before any of the teachers or auto boat show security could come over. This swarthy brunette looked ripe for the taking, but all girls became nameless and faceless sooner or later with me. These were the girls that only wanted one thing; lucky for me, so did I. I had always had that effect on women. The thought made me smile even more, making the girl in front of me widen her eyes in pleasure. I fought the urge to hold my nose. The brunette smelled slightly off and for the life of me, I could not figure out why. The scent was something peppery and it picked at the small nerve endings in my nose. Nevertheless, I pushed forward, placing my nose into her brown hair while closing my eyes, and pressed my chin into the crook of her neck. I controlled my breathing and took small inhales so that she could feel them along her throat.

"Isabella," I murmured.

"Huh? No, it's Jacqueline. Or Jackie, if you wanna call me that instead."

I shook my face from her hair and looked at her. I was really losing it. I shrugged it off. "Oops." I didn't even care if I had offended her or not. I wasn't surprised when she brushed off my callousness. And Sam wondered why I jumped from woman to woman. It was because they were all too easy. You could treat them however you wanted, but say a few kind words in a deep, dark voice, and they were ready to let you in again. Let you in anywhere you wanted to go.

"No biggie. You'll learn my name soon enough." She stepped closer to me, pushing her bust into my stomach. "I'll be making you scream it," she disclosed.

"Right," I replied.

My heartbeat accelerated when I heard Bella's small laugh. _Bella_. She was grinning at something that her friend with glasses was muttering to her, the hot-looking librarian. Bella was always in the library too, wasn't she? She would have to be since she was so smart. _So smart, so smart._ That's what Jacob had said. The sweet little prince was madly in love with her; always had been. _But she was mine_, I protested. _She was going to be mine_. I imagined caressing Bella, holding her against me to the point where I would be close to crushing her. I wanted to feel her skin against mine, taking command of my heartbeat. _Didn't you hear it, Bella? Our heartbeats match._ _Our heartbeats match now_. Just thinking about her, hearing her laugh and sigh as if I wasn't standing a hundred feet from her made me warm, and my shirt's fabric started to give as I barely flexed. I trembled against the poor girl in front of me.

"Whoa, honey, you're scorching." Jacqueline, Jackie, whatever she wanted to be called, chuckled and put her hand into one of my pockets. I groaned against the pressure of her hand. "All this is for me?" she purred. "Wow…"

My legs came apart a little, and she pushed her hand even further into my jeans. I was quickly running out of room for both her hand and myself. I turned my head and sniffed, catching Bella's scent. She still wasn't too far away, talking to the cute librarian's other friend now. Ben, I think his name was. Bella's strawberry shampoo was still in her hair; she had showered. She had showered without me? Damn!_ I'll make it up to you, babe,_ I thought. _I promise_. _I'd lather you up and then wipe it all off, with my tongue. I'll go as fast or as slow as you want me to. You want to make love? We can do that. You want me to fuck you? We can do that, too. I'd even let you ride. Oh my God, I'll teach you to ride. Just let me feel you inside. Let me make you say you love me. Please let me make you say it._

I swallowed loudly as I felt myself grow in the girl's hands, unable to control myself. I could smell only Bella. I could even taste her in the air with my tongue. Jacqueline gasped, and she fought with my pocket, squeezing her hand too much against my thigh.

"Um…Paul?" she called in a small voice.

I didn't answer her. Jacqueline could have been part of the background, a part of my imagination for all I cared. All I could see was Bella, and all she could see was me. I imagined burying my body into her as I continued to kiss her, trying to shield her from as much pain as possible as her body took in my size, our legs and hands buried under the sheets. I wouldn't even care if she wanted to do it on silk sheets. I'd even cuddle with her afterward if she wanted. _If she wanted? Cuddle?_ My face scrunched up as if there were a bad taste in my mouth. _I wanted to cuddle? What the—?_

"Paul! Paul, my hand!" the brunette screamed a little more urgently.

The real image of Bella's head turned at the sound of my name and my face fell as I saw her disgust and annoyance at my figure and the girl's. With no doubt in my mind, she knew what the brunette and I had been doing. Bella's other friends looked on in shock.

"Paul! Jesus, my hand, Paul!" she repeated, screeching in my ear.

"What? Huh?"

"My hand!" She shouted again. "And it looks like you didn't need me after all." Jacqueline dropped her eyes.

I met her gaze and looked down, feeling wet and a bit soggy. I finally had softened, but not before I had achieved an orgasm. I was horrified. The brunette had barely touched me, and I had gotten off in a matter of minutes by just smelling another girl. This was getting serious. This was getting detrimentally serious.

"Christ!" I cursed.

"That's what I said," Jacqueline clipped, clearly annoyed. "Look me up in the phone book when you can last a little longer, okay?"

I turned my eyes to her, already pissed off. "I'll call you when I'm desperate. How's that?" Jacqueline's hand moved, and I caught her by her wrist. "Don't do it, toots. It's not worth it."

"You're right. You aren't," she spat back.

I let her arm go when I was satisfied that she wouldn't try to hit me again. I glanced over where Bella and her friends were, but she was already gone.

_Shit_!

* * *

**BPOV**

"Angela, I have to go. I have another caller," I begged over the phone. My phone gave another angry click as if to give a helping hand, but it was pointless; Angela kept me on the phone.

"Bella, I am telling you, if you don't give me the goods on that guy you were talking to so that I can tell Jessica so she can tell Lauren, they will call your house themselves and will not stop calling until they get an answer," she went on. "Even a few minor details could help keep them off your back," Angela added thoughtfully.

"Okay, okay," I exasperatedly called out and rolled onto my back in my bed. "His name is Paul, and he lives on the rez. That's all I know; I swear it."

"That's it?" Angela asked in disbelief. "That won't be enough."

"I don't know why not."

"Bella," Angela sighed, sounding remarkably similar to Alice. "Ah well, I tried. By the way, did you see what he and Jacqueline were do—?"

"Yes, Angela, I saw it," I cut in. "It was gross."

Angela gave a spirited chuckle. "A hand job is gross to you, Bella?"

"What? Well, no, I don't think so. I've never given one, but I mean a hand job in a public place? Seriously?" I commented. I had given up pushing Angela off the phone after the series of clicks had stopped. The caller would just have to call back again. "That better have not been Lauren or Jessica on the phone just now," I threatened when the noises finally ceased.

"Probably Jessica," Angela confessed. "I don't think Lauren would actually admit to you that she likes Paul."

I scoffed. "Yeah, well I would rather not get involved with those two."

"They just want to know who he is and stuff. It's no big deal."

I groaned loudly. "Why do they even think I know him?"

"Because they saw you talking to him, and don't deny it either, Bella," Angela laughed. "We all saw you two."

"We weren't cozy, Angela," I argued. "Get that thought out of your mind."

"Did he try to pick you up?" Angela asked. "I thought you knew him already."

"I did. I mean, I don't know him like that," I defended. "I met him through Jacob. I've only seen him twice; that hardly means we're going to get married one day."

"Uh huh, well, would you be able to ask him for his number?"

"Huh? No way. I couldn't ask that creep for anything," I said in an appalled tone. "He'd never let me live it down. He's already cocky enough as it is."

"It's for Jess. Well, it's actually for Lauren," Angela admitted. "But I suspect that Jess will copy the number down for herself too. She kept gushing, 'Oh, if only Mike and I weren't going to get back together soon' over and over again."

"Oh jeez," I said, rolling my eyes. "He is not that cute."

"So Bella Swan has noticed a cute guy, finally," Angela joked.

I cringed, thinking about Edward again. It was strange; I hadn't thought about Edward for a few hours now. My mind was occupied with other things, but even now I couldn't remember what my prior thoughts had been about. _Sure you remember who, not what, you were thinking about, Bella. He's tall, reddish-brown, built, gorgeous—_

"Jacob's cute," I stated suddenly, trying to cut through my own screaming voices.

"Of course he is, Bella," Angela beamed, "but there's just something about dating a guy who is like a little brother to you. Cute, yes, but anything else would just be crossing the line."

"Well," I started, debating whether I should tell her just how close Jacob and I had gotten this past weekend. "He's pretty, sort-of-beautiful. There, I said it."

"Actually, he's pretty freakin' hot," Angela expressed. "But Paul looks as though he'll tell you what to do in bed. Make you work for it, you know."

"God, Ang." I choked on laughter. "You are really getting into this."

"Hey, I have Ben, and I am grateful for it, but I am not blind either." Angela laughed again. "I just see what I see. Hey, Bella, did you notice something?"

I squirmed on the bed. "Notice something like what?"

"That guy, Paul, didn't you notice him looking at you while he was…while Jacqueline and him were doing that thing you think is so gross?" Angela giggled softly after her statement.

"I do not think its gross when it's with someone you love," I repeated, "And no, I did not actually want to look at him. I had a pretty good idea of what was going on without a complete breakdown of how to."

"No, Bella, I mean he was looking at you. Like staring at you," Angela enunciated. "He didn't look like he was paying much attention to the girl at all."

"Knowing Paul, he probably just spaced out, but trust me; if he was actually looking at me, I would have noticed," I said nonchalantly. "I tend to pick up on abnormal people watching me. I always seem to feel them or attract them."

"How is Paul abnormal?" Angela asked skeptically. "He's just a horny teenager, right? Pretty typical."

I almost gasped. I had nearly let out too much about Jacob and the pack's secret. What's wrong with me? It's Paul fault. _Pull it together, Bella. Pull it together_.

"Well, I am not that used to it," I butted in. "Paul is a different breed all together anyway," I said only half joking. Angela had no idea what kind of breed Paul was. I wasn't even sure, myself.

"Yeah," Angela said while laughing again. "I know his body is freakishly huge. It's crazy. All the La Push guys look like that?"

I shrugged, though she couldn't see it. "I don't know; I guess so. I don't spend that much time down there anymore."

"Well maybe you should and take me with you."

"For what?" I started to laugh again.

"Cute guys, washboard abs, and 10 packs; those are the kind of abs you only see in the movies, not in real life so when you see them for real, you need to be ready."

"And what would you do, pray tell?" I asked in jest.

"Just look." Angela declared. "Maybe finger a few bodies, but that's it. I'm loyal."

I bit back a comment when I heard a click on my phone again, a perfect excuse to get off the phone with Angela. "Hey, there's my other line again. I gotta go."

"Okay, but if it's Jess or Lauren, don't say I didn't warn you. They won't let you get away with that 'I don't know him well enough' thing that you told me."

"Duly noted. Bye, Ang!"

"Bye."

I clicked over hesitantly. "Hello?"

"Bells, its Jake," an enthusiastic voice said into the other side of the receiver. "How you doing?"

"Jake, you have to do something!" I immediately wailed. "Paul is out of control. Do you know what he did on my field trip yesterday?"

"Yeah, Sam told us he almost got slapped. That seems to happen to him a lot," Jacob declared with little humor. "This time it was at a boat show, so that was a new experience for him."

I twisted the phone cord and covered my legs with the sheets on my bed. Even hearing Paul's name from a deep voice like Jacob made my mind jump to all sorts of conclusions and daydreams. Like me imagining that I was on the phone with Paul instead. _On the phone with Paul? What did you just get finished telling Angela?_ I scolded myself.

In a few short minutes, I had relayed what had happened at the boat show in my own detail, and Jacob seemed unconcerned. He thought it was just Paul being Paul.

"It was so gross! I mean a hand job? A public hand job?" I repeated to my best friend. "And he was so rude to her too. I mean I couldn't actually hear what they were saying, but I mean for a girl to have a hand down his pants one minute and then the next be ready to slap him, he would had to have been pretty rude to her."

"With Paul, that's the only way he knows how to be. It's okay, Bella. I told you how he was. Now do you believe me?" Jacob asked triumphantly.

"Yeah. Sure, sure."

I could hear him smile through the phone. "I love when you say my lines, Bells."

"Ugh, not you too, Jake! Why does every guy feel the need to hit on me?"

"What?" Jacob's voice changed. "Paul hit on you?"

"Huh?" I had struck a nerve. I immediately felt the tone of the conversation go down and quickly. Actually, it had leapt off of a cliff and plunged through the bedrock below sea level. "What was that?" I asked, trying to pretend like I hadn't heard his last question.

"Don't play around, Bella." Jacob sounded annoyed. "Paul hit on you? I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. This is Paul we're talking about—"

"Exactly," I cut him off. "Then why should you be surprised? Let it go, Jake. I can handle myself."

"Yeah," he chuckled, his anger seemingly subsiding. "I gathered that. You're strong enough to resist me and all my boyish charms."

"Yes, but it was so hard," I said, playing along a little. "Especially when half the people in this house are Team Jacob."

"No kidding. I'd love it if you were on my team, too."

I giggled. "You are going to get me in trouble."

"Well, Lord knows that every other bit of trouble comes to you anyway."

I laughed out loud now. "Oh, shut up."

"Teasing, Bells. Well look, I've gotta go. Another patrol shift."

"Oh come on. We just got on the phone. Can't you be late?"

"Sorry, Bella but if I want time with you at all in the next few days, I gotta leave now. You'll see me soon, right?"

"Sure, sure."

"Alright, I'll see you around. And don't worry; I'll talk to Sam about less Paul time and more 'us' time, 'kay?"

"'Kay," I mimicked.

"Later." The phone clicked.

"Bye Jake," I murmured anyway.

"Hey Bella, could you come down here a minute?" I heard Charlie's voice from downstairs.

"Yeah Char—I mean, yeah, dad! I'm coming!" I yelled back down.

* * *

**APOV (Author's Point of View)**

_Later…_

A figure moved in the shadows, making the man grab his gun. He checked the clip, knowing that it was loaded, but it was always best to play it safe. "Be careful, be careful. Always am," he recited to himself. He was always careful. Dangerous job, but that was it; he had friends, he had the town of Forks with good people in it (mostly). And he even had a bit of family nearby. His best friend, who had been around for years, and his daughter was now back home, where she belonged.

He grinned, in spite of himself; in spite of being alone in the woods with no backup nearby and not another soul for at least a dozen yards or so. Sure, it wasn't that far really, but what if something that quickly was to get upper hand? The man shook his head. "Nah. It's only a routine investigation; nothing to worry about." There was so much to worry about lately. The small family he had, including his extended family, depended on him, and he could not afford to leave them behind. Not when he had just gotten everything back. He had his daughter back again. Even after his daughter's boyfriend left and she had felt so deserted and distraught, that didn't matter anymore because he had his daughter back now. He would make it up to her; he would pay closer attention to who she hung out with now and would not allow himself to be pushed back by her exasperated "Dad!" any longer. It was a parent's job to piss off their kids anyway; that's how parents knew they were doing it right.

The guy shifted, his feet shoulder length apart as he quietly took his hand off the top of his gun. "Nerves."

"No; me," a woman's tone cut through the silence.

He had barely turned, a bright flash making him blink frantically. His shoulders hurt, being smashed into the earth by an unknown weight hovering over his body.

"Too easy," the feminine voice said. "Much too easy." She moved again across his line of vision, much too quick to be human. The man felt himself lurch up momentarily, his back heels stinging as he landed. Suddenly, he grabbed his throat, feeling warm as his fingers turned wet from his paper-thin skin crinkling underneath. The man's tips were immersed in his own blood and as he started gasping for air, he heard his own wheezing, and felt a few bubbles pop under his hands. His eyes went moist in the otherwise quiet night.

The woman took a small step back, trying to savor the man's bloody aroma in the air for as long as she could before she would have to give in to her urge to feed, but she would wait a few more seconds. She liked her meal warm and she had been overexcited; with a blow like that, the man wouldn't last much longer. It would be inhumane not to put him out of his misery. _Inhumane?_ She giggled like a school girl caught with a lollipop in her hand; a vivid, shiny, red lollipop. _Lick, lick_. She tossed her red hair back, moving closer. She was hungry and would no longer be kept waiting. She still had a few other things to take care of, but they would have to wait till after her hard earned meal. Eh, who was she kidding? It really had been child's play for her.

"Nothing to keep me from her now," she replied to the man's figure. Her hidden incisors descended, feeling cool as their tips hit the air. She was already feeling refreshed though she had yet to taste the man before her. _Just do it already_, her inner voices cried. _Now!_ "With pleasure," she mouthed silently back.

A sharp bark cut her intended action and she turned, ill-prepared. She bumped forward, her breath leaving her. If she had needed to breathe, it would have been the equivalent of having the 'wind knocked out' of her, but she was a vampire and she didn't need air. Her lungs had long since turned ashy and gray, no longer able to sustain their original pink color or gain nutrients from the air she was taking in. She needed nothing except that man, who was now twitching and moaning on the forest floor some few feet away…blocked by a big, furry animal.

"What the—?"

The beast barked again, and she gave it a small smile. "Oh, a dog. I think I'll name you Spot," she spoke musically, unafraid. Spot wanted to play. Her meal would have to be lost; she had always enjoyed animals, even before she had became a vampire. She missed it. Being a rogue meant she had to move around a lot and wasn't allotted much time to take care of a pet. This one would have to be an exception. "Come here, boy," she whistled. The werewolf's silver fur stood on end as he reared his head, pebbles quaking as he pushed them aside to make a run for the other supernatural creature, and he charged. The vampire jumped backwards, landing on a short tree branch.

"Now what?" she called down.

The wolf sniffed, snarled a little, and dug his claws into the tree, lifting himself a few feet. It wasn't enough, but he was able to snap at her long, ashy grey tunic, tearing a piece of it with his jaws. She barely flinched.

"My, my. You want me pretty badly, don't you? Well then, I hope you like fetch." She spun and took off, jumping down on the other side of the tree, and looked back one second to make sure that her new game was following her; the wolf was indeed on her heels.

He growled and snapped at her figure as she took off ruthlessly through the trees and grass. "Keep up, ol' boy. Keep up," she exclaimed as she laughed again. The wolf reached out and took a swipe, almost knocking her off her feet. "Ooh, nice one, but you'll have to do better than that," she called back and took off with a sudden burst of speed. She could hear the dog panting, but he wouldn't give up. "Was the man a friend of yours?" she maliciously asked. His silver body trembled with anger, making him push harder into his haunches, and his chest began to burn with fever, but he wasn't going to stop until she was caught.

Her ripped tunic caught on a loosely elevated twig, holding her one moment too long, and her leg was caught by the wolf's teeth. She hissed and tore her own pale skin, releasing herself from his almost locked jaw. "I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short," she responded, hearing a few more howls in the distance. "Do pay my respects to the family left behind though." She made an abrupt turn, causing the wolf to skid in the wrong direction, and into a large thorny bush. The vampire barely grinned as she leapt over a large canal, separating herself from her newly abandoned pet.

The huge wolf howled as she turned back, giving him a small wave. He could not cross the canal. The werewolf had been too late; he had not actually seen the murder committed by the vampire and therefore could not cross into the Cullen's land, whether they still resided there or not. If the pack did not actually see the crime, they could not trespass and kill the offending vampire. Those were the rules; that was the law of the treaty.

And the red-headed vampire knew this. "Stupid dogs," she murmured before running deeper into the thicket.

A thick, brown-colored wolf appeared next to the bigger silver one, whining lowly in his ear. The silver wolf turned around, bounding back to where the wounded man was still laying, barely alive.

_Hang on, hang on. Shit, I fucked up! Hang on, don't die on me. Don't die, _he silently recited the words over and over again, his silver head bobbing_._ The brown wolf took off in the other direction, calling to the other pack members, and frantically searching for any person walking by while the silver wolf arrived at the hurt man's side, pacing back and forth by his figure, now almost motionless. The wolf's short, gray whiskers reflected off of the somewhat bright gold police badge clipped on the man's belt. The wolf wished that he could do something other than pace beside the man, but he didn't want the man to grow alarmed and start bleeding more if he touched him. He could already hear him gurgling, his breathing growing shallow.

_Hurry up, Jared_! He barked out in the distance, his fur shaking with fury again, this time for a much different reason.

His silver head turned, watching the man's eyes slowly close, and his breathing cease. _No. Shit, no!_ Forgetting that he was still phased, he bumped the man with his nose, causing the police chief's vibrating cell phone to suddenly fall out of his pocket. The cop had needed a better phone case. The wolf shook his head, taking a small glance at the phone's blue LED screen, the only light in that part of the forest now.

_BELLA_, the phone said.

His muzzle dipped into the dirt, feeling ashamed. His vision played and replayed all that he did see as he continued to lay half down next to the man's body.

_Sorry, babe_, he moaned and closed his eyes, thinking of the girl he already let down.

* * *

***A/N: The term "Wás x̩ax̩íḳtiya" is Quileute for "not today."**


	5. Empty With You

***A/N: I started this chapter off with what happened earlier in the night, a few hours before Charlie's ill fated run-in with Victoria. I am sure you guys know by now, but yes, I did hurt and kill Charlie Swan. I am sorry to all those who liked his character. I did not do it out of malice. Please try to forgive me and happy reading! :-)  
**

**Chapter Summary:** The aftermath of Charlie's death and funeral has left Bella more dependent on the La Push wolf pack more than ever. Now that Charlie is gone, it becomes clear that protecting the former Police Chief's daughter might be harder than previously thought and a new arrangement emerges to keep 'the human' safe from the harm of the cold ones.

* * *

**Chapter IV: 'Empty With You,' by The Used**

**BPOV**

_(Hours earlier, the same night)  
_

"Bella, you look a bit happier lately. Is hanging out with Jacob again making you feel better?"

I turned my body toward Charlie at the dinner table and gave him a small smile, pushing the rest of my food away with my fork.

"Smooth, Dad. Real smooth, but yes, Jacob and I are talking again," I responded.

I had been so concerned when Jacob had dropped off the face of the planet after an outing with a sick Mike a mere few weeks ago. I had caught the same bug and I thought that Jacob was sick too. A case of mono was the reason I had been conveniently provided with at the time, but now I knew the truth; Jacob and other members of the pack were risking their lives to protect Forks and La Push; as werewolves. I could have dealt with Jacob being anything except not being there for me. I was fine with him being a werewolf. He seemed even cuddlier somehow. Except when he had tried to rip out his pack mates' throat last week.

"I'm glad. Billy says the kid seems happier too."

"You and Billy gossip like two little old ladies," I joshed, pulling my knees to my chest and sipped more of my hot chocolate. My throat was hoarse from talking to Angela and Jacob back to back like that; I never was this popular in Phoenix. Two calls in the same night? That was a Bella Swan record. "You two need another hobby besides talking about us kids and fishing."

"Eh well, we'll save that talk for another time. I've gotta go. There has been another attack near town. Thanks for dinner."

"No problem." I had quickly fried him up a steak, some greens, and rice; he needed the energy. There had been another call about an attack not long ago, and Charlie, as police chief, needed to leave to check it out. Another 'animal attack,' no less.

"I'll be home late. Maybe not until morning if it takes that long."

"Do you have to check out this animal attack? What if it isn't animals?"

"Well, what else could it be, Bells?"

I grinned a little at the fact that Charlie had called me by the same nickname as Jacob. I shrugged. "Something else?"

"Like aliens? Other supreme forces of life?"

"I don't know. Whatever. Something like that."

Charlie chuckled. "Lay off the fiction novels, Bella." He ruffled my already messy hair.

"They're romance novels, by the way."

"Yeah, romance. That why you fell so hard for Edward? Think you fell into one of those classic timepiece novels like _Romeo and Juliet_ or _Midsummer's Night Dream_?"

"No. Edward was Edward." I waited for the hole to swallow the rest of my emotions as I said his name, but I felt nothing as I repeated Edward's name, over and over in my head. _Edward, Edward, Edward_. No effect. _Humph_.

"Well, I'm just glad you snapped out of it. I was afraid I would have to send you to Jacksonville with your mother and Phil. You know, because I didn't know what else to do. I didn't even see how unhealthy that relationship was."

"No one could have predicted it, Dad. Don't be silly. I wouldn't leave you all alone anyway; you, Billy, and Jake would starve to death without me now. I could not have had that on my conscience."

I watched my father begin and end a big, throaty laugh, shaking his stomach. He stood up and reached over my shoulder, giving me a sort of half-hug. "Love you, kiddo."

"Wow, thanks, Dad." I looked at him. "Be careful."

"Always am," he responded, grinning.

* * *

_(Present…)_

"It's official; I cannot sleep," I spoke to my bedroom ceiling. One of the few nights that it wasn't raining and was dead quiet outside is the night that I can't seem to find my spot in the bed to sleep. I had been stirring for almost an hour and I was sick of it. "Figures." I tossed back my covers.

Suddenly, I heard a cackle in the wind, making even the noise of the trees scratching the side of the house seem tame. Feeling brave, I sat up in bed and walked slowly to the window. A reddish figure moved in the brush, but was otherwise still.

"Victoria," I whispered. I had no doubt-She found out about Laurent and came to Forks to finish the job.

_I will make it easy_.

I quickly threw on a hooded sweater and an old pair of jeans that needed to be washed for laundry. I peeked outside of my opened door, listening for Charlie's snores. It was quiet; as it had been outside before the laugh. Charlie must not have come back yet.

_Charlie did say he might not be back till morning, Bella._

"Shoot. I hope Charlie got my message. I really needed him to leave his spare uniform out so that I could include it in the laundry." I abruptly chuckled at the thought of Charlie having a cell. I bet he'll never figure out how use it beyond answering and hanging up.

I proceeded outside, not worrying about waking my sleeping father. Then hear the wolves cry, a shocking chorus of high-pitched shrills that rocked me by my nerves.

They sounded close.

I shuddered a little under the moon. "Maybe they're synchronizing themselves, like watches," I said out loud. _Jacob, my big, furry, red timepiece. That's dumb, Bella_. I shook the thought from my head and kept my pace toward the forest. I could have sworn something was there and if Victoria would make my death quick, then maybe the rest of my loved ones would be spared.

I would exchange my life for my family's. Of course if I do end up being that close to Victoria, I doubt that I would be in any position to bargain with her, but I had to try anyway. What else did I have to bargain with? My life for theirs sounded more than fair.

I stepped over a few large rocks, feeling my feet slip and slide in the cool earth. Even in sneakers I was a walking nightmare. It was pitch black. I thought about tripping and immediately slapped my forehead. "Jeez, Bella. Should have bought a flashlight," I scolded myself. _Eh, what for? I didn't need to actually see Victoria as she killed me. That would be like adding salt to a wound_. I jumped over a sodden bush and promptly tripped, landing almost directly on my palms. I heard my right wrist snap, but it wasn't broken; it just ached. "Awesome. Victoria better hurry up if she doesn't want to feed on a broken body."

I kept walking, realizing in my haste, I had forgotten to leave a note for Charlie. "Shoot," I muttered. I didn't have Edward to write me any more notes like he did the night he left me in the forest. Charlie wouldn't know where to start looking for me if I did manage to catch up to Victoria. The wolves might know, but that would be it. The wolves saved me last time, but I couldn't expect them to keep doing that. They had so many problems; so many other things to do. Protecting a small, frail, short, and alabaster-skinned girl was a little time consuming. _Yeesh, you sure are hard on yourself._

All of a sudden, something told me to stop.

I listened for once and did, trying to hold my breath so that I could hear the offending creature. "Hello?"

"Bella?"

I knew that voice. "Jake, is that you?"

I started walking closer to small cluster of trees when he called out sharply, "Wait, I have to put on pants."

"Huh?"

"We're all ass when we phase back to human. Literally."

I chuckled, a little embarrassed. "Oh."

Seconds later, my Jacob emerged with a sad look on his face. My grin caved to the force of gravity. "Jake, what's wrong?"

"Bells, honey, it's Charlie. Something happened to Charlie."

Those were the last words I heard before everything went black.

* * *

_(The day of the funeral)_

I wiped my eyes with my chambray dress shirt, tugging it by the waist. My body didn't feel like my body anymore and I was on auto-pilot. I kept waiting to run out of gas or steam, but I had yet to.

I yanked on my shirt again; it was a color that the store clerk at Sun Ray's, a small boutique just outside of Forks, had called 'antique brass.' I hated the way the shirt was hugging my body, but I didn't have any dress shirts, and I knew that I would need one for Charlie's funeral.

I pulled at the collared neckline; it was slowly suffocating me, and if I was going to be around werewolves for the rest of the day, I would need the air to fight the closing-in feeling I was bound to have. The rolled up sleeves bothered my elbows, but I had to have roll the cuffs or the shirt would have been too long. Or so I had thought. Other than that, it was a nice shirt for a funeral.

_Funeral?_

My dad's funeral was starting, and what I was worried about was the color of my snug dress shirt? I tugged on my chiffon skirt, one of the few pieces of designer clothing that I owned, thanks to Alice.

_Alice?_ Not her too. Thinking of Alice got me thinking of the Cullens, which lead me to Edward, who left me just like Charlie did. It was hopeless.

"How am I going to get through the day?" I shrieked, starting to cry again.

"Bella, you alright? Need a few more minutes?" Jacob's voice still sounded deep, even through the door. I knew that I was going to drive him crazy all day; Jacob, Billy, and Charlie didn't like crying, but Jacob had been really tolerant. I guess it was even expected. The past few days had been slow. School had been so calm and quiet that it was boring, reminding me of the days of when I was a mindless zombie. Today felt a lot like when Edward and his family left. No surprise there; I felt alone and abandoned then too. "Bells, honey, you okay?" Jacob repeated. I had forgotten that he was there, just that quickly.

"I'm sorry," I called back. "Yes, Jacob, I will be right out."

"Take your time."

No, Jacob, I couldn't take my time. I couldn't be late to my own father's funeral.

I sniffed again. Renee and Phil would be coming in from Florida tomorrow. They couldn't find a flight in time in order to make it to the funeral, and I insisted that they not spend the time or money driving from Jacksonville, Florida .

"Oh honestly, Bella, I couldn't believe that there were no flights available. It was absolutely unheard of. What a major inconvenience to everyone who has to plan around these little airport snafus," my mother had stated during our phone conversation last night.

"_Yes, Renee," _I answered her back in my mind_. "It was a bit of an inconvenience for someone to die. It always was. That's why it just feels so unexpected and rushed. No one planned for it at all; not even the airports."_

I sobbed again.

"Jake?" His name sounded broken in my dry throat, but he had heard me. I felt his arms wrap around me, taking me slightly toward the bed. I shook my head, clouded with fog from crying so hard at such a high altitude. "No, I'll never want to get up if I lay down."

"You're going to be okay."

"Am I, Jake? Charlie is gone. Charlie is gone, and it's all my fault."

"No, it's not. Trust me; we are doing everything we can to track down that leech. In fact, half of the pack is out there right now looking for that redheaded bloodsucker. Jared even switched with me so that I could be here and Sam allowed the change at the last minute. We will catch her, Bells, and then you'll be safe."

"Okay," I whispered back, not really believing him, but I had no choice. I still had to get up and I still had to move as if my soul depended on it, which it did. I would have been considered a horrible daughter, which I was. It was my fault that Charlie was dead. Victoria never would have even knew of Charlie had she not been after me. What could Charlie have been thinking? Did he regret me as the life flickered out of his eyes? Did he know that his own daughter had been the cause of his demise? _Demise, demise, he's dead, Bella, and he's NOT coming back! Ever! Don't you get it? Or are you in denial about that too?_

My throat was dry as I swallowed back a bit of bile and started to tremble slightly. My inner voices were contemptuous, even inside of my head. I had no peace and I didn't want any; I just wanted Victoria to finish the job.

Suddenly Jacob kissed my cheek; I felt his warm lips press my skin and his hands hold mine. Jacob was such a great friend. "Thank you," I muttered. Even the Greek gods could not have been as selfish as I had been to Jacob lately.

I felt Jacob pat my hand.

* * *

The pastor kept talking as if he had known my father personally, but I knew that Charlie stopped going to church not long after Renee left. Charlie once told me something to the tune of "Those women go to church to pick up men." His tone was quite comical; or at least it had made me laugh. I called him 'a stud' and he relayed, "Yeah, the ladies man." After that, I tried to stop discussing the subject with him, unable to stop chuckling at my father's cluelessness at my sarcasm.

Now, I wasn't laughing at all.

I rubbed my ankles against each other, feeling that my dress shoe straps were too tight. I should never have let Jacob buckle my shoes. What does a teenage boy know about shoes? Women needed extra space in their shoes to breathe a little; that's what ½ sizes were there for.

I forced the small bit of distractive anger out of my mind and squeezed Jacob's hand as the pastor continued to recite that my father died bravely, in the line of duty. I saw a few of the deputies sniff, their hatless heads bowed down in a perfect row, and even their walkie-talkies were off. The absence of the green lights and the blank, gray screens of their handheld devices showed their appreciation for my father, their police chief. I glanced at their uniforms, perfectly ironed and clean, their black patent shoes reflecting the pulpit's light, and their hands perfectly poised in front of them, palms turned in slightly and still. Even after the display of such obvious respect, they were still the lucky ones. They still had their families at home and when they left this funeral home, they would be able to do more than just envision their loved ones safe and sound; they would be blessed that they would be able to hold them in a few hours after their work shift, and that would be like heaven on earth for them.

I wasn't so lucky.

"Oh, Jake!" I cried out suddenly and started to snivel again. I felt Jacob and Billy on the side of me, gently patting my shoulders.

"It's okay, Bella. It's alright," Billy meekly replied. He sounded as if his voice was full of tears as well.

Nothing would be the same anymore. The house was empty, and I was alone. The only other thing I could do was to move to Jacksonville, but who would come to see Charlie? Sure, his grave was on neutral land so that the people from the reservation could see him without having to ask permission of the Cullens if they come back.

_Yeah, right. The Cullens weren't coming back, Bella. You know that, don't you?_

Suddenly, I felt Jacob pulling on me lightly. "We have to stand, sweetie. It's time to leave."

We proceeded outside, and I glanced back at the closed coffin. I had wondered why Jacob and the rest of the pack had insisted upon leaving the coffin closed, but Jacob had answered back, "No, Bella. You don't want to see Charlie like that." Now I wished that I could have seen Charlie like that, however he was. He was my father, and I loved him, no matter how Victoria had made him look. But it was too late to change it now.

It was too late to change a lot of things.

Jacob continued to hold me close to him and, as I suspected earlier, his 108 degree temperature quickly started to make its way into my shirt's collar and almost immediately made my rolled up cuffs damp as they continued to rub against my skin. I was going to have to step away for a bit if I didn't want to look like I had just stepped out of a hot shower.

"Bella," a voice called close behind me.

"Bella, it's Sam," Jacob whispered to me when I didn't answer.

I turned toward Sam's body, but my head felt much too heavy to give him the proper eye contact. It was a courtesy that I did not feel like providing him with; Sam didn't seem to care one way or the other. He started to speak again.

"Bella, my deepest regrets for what happened to Charlie. He was a good man and a great friend to the Quileutes."

"I know he was. He loved it on the rez." _Why was Sam stating the obvious?_ I bitterly wondered. _What did he want?_

Sam cleared his throat before continuing and I felt Jacob's hands dig into my sides. "I know this is a bad time for you, and I suspect that it's going to get a bit tougher, but we do need to discuss a strategic plan for keeping you safe during your stay here in Forks."

"No. I would rather let her finish me off. You guys should be spared…" I trailed off, almost ready to cry again.

Sam touched my chin, lifting my head. I saw that his eyes were red, focused on me. "That's not the way we do things. We intend on keeping you alive, for your sake and for Charlie's."

I ripped my head away. "Charlie is gone. My dad is gone, or were you the only person in Forks that didn't attend the funeral?" I sarcastically spat out.

"I was there. I was also there when he died." I met Sam's eyes again when he spoke his last statement. "We would not be able to protect you if you leave for Jacksonville."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Good, then we must—"

"Sam," Jacob interrupted. "Don't do this. There has to be another way."

"That parasite will be back." Sam persisted. "We have seen that she specifically targeted Bella and her father; she's coming back, and we must keep Bella safe."

"Wait a minute, Sam," Jacob began. "I just think Bella needs time-"

"Stop talking about me like I am not here," I abruptly voiced, turning toward an open-mouthed Jacob. I sighed and changed my tone when I saw the look on his face. "Are you making me a part of my own protection?" I asked Sam.

Sam nodded. "It is you she's after. Why wouldn't you be a part of it?"

I focused on Jacob's sullen face. "Jake?"

"Of course I want you a part of this, Bells. The most important thing is that you stay safe."

My interest piqued, suddenly feeling like I had a new purpose in life. "I'll do what I can to help. What's going on?" I was finally going to be involved in my own well-being. Edward would have never allowed this.

Sam swallowed before answering and Jacob dropped his gaze. "Twenty-four hour protection from the pack, on a consistent and rolling basis, starting this week if possible. With your mother and her husband in town, we'll stay patrolling the outskirts of the house, careful not to attract attention. You shouldn't see us."

"Okay, I will do what is needed."

"Bella, it's not that simple." Jacob cut in and turned closer to me. "In order to effectively make this work, a pack member needs to stay in the house with you now that Charlie isn't…around," he said carefully. "Before, we were able to patrol your house, leave a couple time gaps, but for this to work—"

"I'll have a teenage werewolf living in my house at any given time until Victoria comes back. Great, I hope the fridge is big enough for you guys," I attempted to joke.

Jacob looked down again. Sam captured my attention. "Bella, we need your permission to come onto that land and to stay in your house. You are the only one outside of the rez who knows what the cold ones are."

I shrugged. "Done. You have my permission." It wasn't like Jacob hadn't been by the house before, or Billy either. Why did it matter now?

"Okay."

"Who's staying with me in the house? Will it be Jacob? Can he afford to spend that kind of time away from Billy?" I asked, knowing full well that Jacob's plate had already been full even before I had come into the picture.

"It's not me, Bella," Jacob replied solemnly.

"So, who is it?"

Jacob hesitated seconds too long before Sam answered. "It's Paul."

My face scrunched up. "Paul?"

* * *

**PPOV**

"This is ridiculous! This is complete bullshit!" I screamed, already picturing that I was foaming at the mouth. "I am not staying in that house with her. I have an image to maintain. How the hell am I supposed to get any ass if I stay at the prince's girlfriend's house? What did he have to say?" I demanded, getting more pissed by the minute at an extremely passive Sam.

"I spoke to him about it before I spoke to you. He wants Bella safe, just like we all do."

"You spoke to him first?" I continued yelling. "What the fuck? It's my ass that has to be there, and you didn't ask me about it? You just assumed that I would go?"

"I didn't assume anything. I figured I would have to order you to go."

"You got that right." I picked up a nearby metal chair, property of the funeral home's that had been left by the cleanup crew for Charlie Swan's funeral. I heaved it into a tree; it landed in one of the top branches. I heard my Alpha sigh.

"You know you're going to have to climb the tree and get that before it falls down and hurts someone, right?"

"I'm not a leopard; I don't climb trees," I snapped back at Sam.

"You'll climb this one, and you will stay at Bella's to protect her."

"No," I said stubbornly.

"She gave you permission."

"So? What do I care?"

"Been thinking about anything special lately while you've been self-helping yourself?" Sam asked rhetorically.

I grimaced; Bella had become my favorite fantasy lately while I masturbated, and I was always angry with myself when I hadn't been able to resist the urge to use her after I had finished. I slapped my hand against my jeans-covered thigh, the wind hitting my bare chest. "What did she have to say about it?" I was suddenly interested now.

"She wasn't thrilled, but Jacob took the news worse than she did. She doesn't mind being used as bait as long as the rest of us are safe too."

"Stupid girl," I retorted, but I was secretly amazed. Bella Swan was incredibly selfless, and it shocked me that someone like her could be. "So I have to be miserable right along with her?"

"Do you blame yourself for her father dying?"

I held my tongue, not sure what words would come out had I decided to answer. I knew it was foolish and I knew that Charlie Swan's death had not been my fault. Whether I had chased away that red-headed bloodsucker or not, Charlie would have died in that forest. I knew that, and the rest of the pack knew it too.

But that didn't mean I felt nothing.

"It was not your fault," Sam affirmed anyway. "It was the leech's. She taunted you and made you chase her."

"I let my temper get the best of me," I said back, sounding inexplicably close to a low whine.

"She baited you; pure and simple," Sam repeated.

"I should have ended the chase sooner. I could have gotten someone sooner."

"Jared has the best eyes in the pack; he can see for miles. There was no one close, and it was not your fault," Sam insisted. "There was nothing more you could have done."

I growled and recoiled back. "I don't need to be around her. It's not safe. She really can't stand me, and I'm not that big on her either."

"Is that so? I think you're lying to me and yourself. You should be happy."

"Why?"

"If I had put any of the other guys in that house, you'd be pissed."

"I wouldn't give two shits about who got to sleep under that roof with her," I continued to lie. Sam knew me; I would have been mad. Especially now. I already wondered what Jacob had been allowed to do with Ms. Perfect Swan, but I knew it couldn't have been much. His fantasies of her were along the same lines of my own; not that either of us had anything real of Bella's to compare it to. _But he had kissed her_. Suddenly I did start to foam a little at the mouth. I had almost succeeded in putting my head through a tree trunk the first time Jacob had phased after. Even though she had told him that they could only be friends after that kiss, I was still plenty mad.

_That's right, prince. Hands off; she's mine, _I thought smugly.

"Why did you pick me?" I asked Sam. "Jacob would have jumped at the chance to do this."

Sam looked at me. "Jacob's affection for her is strong, but it's not the same as what you have. Because whether you like it or not, Bella Swan is your imprint, and when the time is right, I know you will do what's best for her."

I shook my head, annoyed that Sam had to pick this moment to sound so spiritual and deep, like he was the voice of God. I had skipped church. I rarely made it the tribe festivals or even to class for language lessons. I didn't need to listen to this.

"I swear, she'll try to domesticate me, Sam."

"You could stand to learn some manners."

I stared at him, trying to keep my face hard but I faltered. Something was gnawing in me that I wasn't quite use to. It felt like something close to happiness, but I couldn't tell; I was suddenly ready to vomit from the feeling. If the Swan thought that I was going to be buying flowers and turn into a real bitch, then forget it. Her and I were not going to get along at all.

"Give it a chance. Keep her safe," Sam ordered. "If I see that you can't handle the job of being under the roof with someone you hate so much, I'll let you out of it."

"No questions asked?"

"What do you take me for? Of course I'll ask questions, but I won't try and stop you from a bad decision. You've been making them for years, all on your own, anyway."

"When do I leave?" I asked, ignoring his stab at my inability to make a logical choice.

"We'll wait and see, but probably in less than a week. I suggest you get all your humping done in that time span."

"I guess I'll have to."

"And get that chair from the tree, I said," Sam said again. "Don't let me waste an order."

I gave him a wicked grin, took in a deep breath, and started to pull myself up one branch at a time. I got to the near top quickly when I thought of Bella as my prize instead of a bent, metal chair, as much as I hated to admit it.


	6. Bridges

**Chapter Summary:** Jacob hates the new arrangements that allow his 'brother' to have unlimited access to _his_ Bella and he struggles to understand the need for the adjustment, but his pack mate is not making it easy. Bella is busy fighting her own battles as she convinces Renee, her mother, to let her stay in Forks with Charlie and for herself.

* * *

**Chapter V: 'Bridges,' by LifeHouse**

**JPOV (Jacob's Point of View)**

I felt the soft dirt seep between my toes and gave a heavy sigh. Even the earth by Bella's house felt different now that Charlie was gone. Then again, Charlie had nothing to do with it. It was just that I was different. It had everything to do with me. I now saw that Bella could be hurt, could be vulnerable, and could be taken away from me if I wasn't careful. And I had to be careful. Losing Charlie had already hurt Bella so much, and I couldn't allow anything else to happen to her. First it was those leeches, and now one of them had taken Charlie? This was too much and those bloodsuckers had to be stopped. I felt small goose bumps on my skin, indicating that my arms and legs were much warmer than that of Fork's evening temperature. _Relax, Jake, relax_, I told myself.

"Quil is going to be phasing soon," I said outloud, trying to keep my mind off of what I would do when I finally got my hands-or paws-on one of those leeches. Any one of them. "His grandfather spoke to Sam; Quil's head can officially open up a bed and breakfast on the side of the road," I continued. "Best sunny-side eggs in the state of Washington," I tried to add with lightness.

"Fascinating, Black. You'll have all your friends to hold your hand," a nasty tone returned.

I shook my head at Paul. I had been trying to avoid him unsuccessfully for two days, but this was the second night in a row that Sam had put the two of us together. Sam had said that if Paul was going to be staying with Bella, I would have to get used to the idea of him being around the house more; it didn't mean I had to like it.

And trust me, I _hated_ it.

"You have a real anger management problem," I said, trying to keep the agitation out of my voice.

"You should be so lucky," Paul retorted. "We don't have to talk just because we're watching your girlfriend's house together."

"Bella's not…never mind." I gave up and turned away, sick of being bothered with his attitude. Paul gets to spend his time with Bella, and he didn't even seem to like her. In fact, he seemed to be trying exceptionally hard to prove that he didn't want to even take the assignment. "Why don't you tell Sam that you don't want to watch Bella?" I suddenly asked.

"I did," he sneered, looking more and more like his silver wolf. "Alpha wouldn't go for it-said I had no choice if I wanted to keep our people safe."

"Did he say that?" I raised an eyebrow. "It's hard to imagine you wanting to do something for someone else."

"Don't I know it," Paul agreed. "But I don't mess with Sam. Not if I want to run Beta."

I bit back a scoff. "You want to run second in command? Why?"

"So I can tell your snot nose what to do," Paul snapped. "Why else? All that power; I'll be even more loved by the ladies. It'll be great."

"You're very self-absorbed," I said, content on making my latest statement the last observation I made of my pack mate.

"And yet I am so popular," Paul announced smugly. "No one else seems to mind."

"That's the only reason you want to be Beta? So you can boss me around? A Beta has to cover for when Sam is away or out on patrol," I explained. "They have to be responsible. They have to always think for what's good for the pack rather than how the pack can benefit them," I finished. Why didn't Paul know this? Sam had explained to every pack member already.

Now Paul arched his brow. "Sounds like envy to me. Do you have a dream of being Beta for this outfit, my little prince?" he teased.

"I sure don't want to be Alpha," I confessed.

"You shouldn't be." Paul's mood went sour again. "I don't care what's in your bloodlines; I'm not listening to you."

A tremor passed through my left shoulder. This was how Paul always talked. "I wouldn't let you in my pack anyway," I told him.

"Aww, how sad. I'll have to find a way to carry on with the rest of my life without you." Paul abruptly got up and stepped closer to the edge, watching Bella's house in the dark.

My anger fell to the waist side for the moment as I listened to voiced coming from Charlie's home, now Bella's. Even with our human ears, we could hear Bella calmly discussing why she shouldn't move back to Jacksonville with Renee and Phil. I was hoping that Bella could convince her mother to let her stay right here. She was of age and the mortgage on the house was completely paid for; besides, Charlie had left everything to Bella anyway. As far as the state of Washington was concerned, she was an independent.

I sighed, thinking about how extraordinary Bella was.

"Why is she like that?" Paul asked suddenly.

"Huh? Who?" I shook my head from my daydream. I was glad that the pack couldn't see what was in my mind just now. "Like what?"

"The Swan. Why is she like she is?" Paul clarified. "She has a lot of strength. Haven't seen anything like it in a chick before."

"A chick?" I asked in disbelief. Leave it to Paul to downplay everything, including any feelings other than his own. "Bella's not a chick; she's Bella."

"Any other girl I know would have lost her mind and would have been useless," Paul continued. "You know, kind of like how she was when those bloodsuckers left."

We both growled instinctively, each of us feeling annoyance for the vampires who had hurt my Bella and left her so broken that it was only I who had been able to fix it. At least until I began to fix her...but then I started to phase into a giant seven foot wolf; now all hell was loose.

"Why do you care?" I asked suspiciously, turning attention back to my pack mate. "You barely ask a girl's name, much less why she is the way she is."

"Hey, if I'm going to be living with her," Paul defended, "then I need to know what bullshit I am up against. You do see my dilemma, don't you?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Yeah, I do. You're moving in with my Bella."

"She doesn't seem to want to be yours, little prince."

"She will be," I declared.

"If you say so."

I stood up, looking him in the eye. He stared right back at me, unhinged.

"You better sit back down. I am not in the mood. I don't even stay with my mother half the time and now I have to move in with the leech lover. As if I couldn't do any better," Paul declared.

"No one is better than Bella."

"I don't think she'll ever give you the chance to find that out."

"Like she'd give you a chance."

"Can't hurt to ask." He laughed.

My body went hot and spasmed forward. Paul stepped back, still watching me but had his hand on his breakaway pants, ready to mimic me at a moment's notice.

"I've upset the pup, again," he continued to taunt.

My left side wretched and twisted, making me yowl. I could faintly hear, from Bella's house, inquisitive questions as to what was going on outside. I felt my jeans split; they were one of the few pairs that I had left. I hadn't counted on getting angry, but I should have known better. My eyes slit back, turning a bright yellow at first, but then they would fade to black as I stayed in my wolf longer so that I could blend in with my surroundings better. I didn't need the eye color change; I was a machine built for war and I was awaiting battle, ready to knock the small smirk off of my pack mate's face.

"And I had thought this would be boring-watching your friend's house. This just turned fun, Black," Paul sneered.

My russet paws hit the dirt. I didn't even remember phasing. It never burned for me anymore; I did it so much that I could do it "on the fly" and not feel a thing. I turned my anger off and on, channeling it where I saw fit, and right now, it only seemed fit to display my rage on the burly silver wolf known as Paul.

Paul grinned and fell forward onto his hands and knees, ready to fight even though he had yet to completely phase. I took a small step back for a second; I would allow him the additional moment to completely change. I wanted to fight fair.

_You two, knock it off! You're supposed to be watching Bella!_ Sam barked from a distance.

_I can see her fine_, Paul replied as his wolf approached me. _I'll be seeing a lot more of her once I'm inside the house. Want me to share any interesting habits with you, Black? I wonder if she sleeps in the nude._

I snarled, hearing the door to Bella's house creak open.

"Phil, get back in here!" a woman's voice shouted after the man's body.

"But—" the man started to say.

"If it's an animal, we don't want it in the house. Honestly, Bella, it's so wild and untamed out here in Forks. Thank goodness I left. Why on earth would you stay here?" she continued, presumably Renee.

"Someone has to be here for Charlie. You should appreciate that," Bella voiced.

"But, Bella…" Her voice trailed off, becoming a little bit harder to hear as the one called Phil closed the door.

_You guys make a shit load of racket. Keep your heads in the game!_ Sam bellowed.

I sat near a rock, determined not to let Paul piss me off even further.

_You know, I've seen her blush inside of your head, Black_, Paul stated. _I wonder what color she'll turn when she's thinking of me in her bed that first night_.

_Jacob—no_! Sam cried as I leapt forward.

**BPOV**

"Bella, may I have with word with you?"

My mother had aged considerably since I left Phoenix more than half a year ago, but I knew Renee's wit and keen eye hadn't been affected. I would have to stay sharp if I wanted her not to worry; who was I kidding? My mother loved to worry. Even as I had been taking care of her, she worried non-stop about me. My dizzy mother, Renee, was hopeless and I knew that she had a sneaking suspicion as to why I was intent on staying. It wasn't just for Charlie; I knew almost exactly when she would bring it up. If it wasn't at the table while we were eating dinner, then it would be now, when I was alone.

I ushered her in although she had already walked through the kitchen door's archway. I stopped washing the dishes to give her my undivided attention.

"I didn't want to bring this up in front of Phil, but, Bella, sweetie, it is unhealthy to stay here all alone in this house. I know Charlie left it to you and you feel that it's your obligation to be here, but this is not the place for you. You belong with your mother. Is it me?"

"Of course not," I said, throwing down the small wash rag. "And it is Charlie; mostly. I have friends here. Friends that would miss me and I would miss them if I were to move to Jacksonville with you and Phil. You have your own thing going, and I don't want to mess that up."

"I'd be worried sick about you all the time."

I forced a laugh; it sounded louder than it should have. "You do anyway, Mom," I said, struggling to keep my voice even. This was harder than I thought; I was saying goodbye to my mother again. She'd be leaving in a few days and it might be the last time I would see her if Victoria got her way.

"You're not just staying because you think Edward will be back, do you?"

I shook my head, knowing that was exactly what she would say. "No, Edward has nothing to do with this at all." I could feel in my throat that the next sentence would falter in tone, making me lose a grip on the tears that I had saved behind my internal walls. "I didn't…I didn't spend enough time with Charlie the last few years and that was my fault. I hated it here. I mean, I did hate it here, but the last few months have been different. They feel different. I'm different and it's all because I came here to Forks and now she was asking me to leave it again, so soon? I can't do that and I hope you understand."

"I don't, sweetheart." Renee started to tear up, her hands shaking as they met her face. "I don't understand how Charlie could have died on a routine investigation call. I didn't understand what it was that made you so gun-ho over Edward, so soon after just meeting him. And I'll never understand why you feel the need to stay here, still."

I swallowed. "I just can't leave everything yet. Not now."

"And if something happens to you, alone, in this house?"

"In Forks?" I tried to scoff. "Nothing happens in Forks that the town people don't know about." _Or the wolf pack on the reservation_.

Renee sniveled. "I suppose. Oh, baby," she cried as she threw her arms around me. "I just hope that for whatever reason you are staying, it's worth it to have your mother crying."

"Mom, please," I groaned. "I don't want to go back to Florida. I want—I need to stay here. I'm sorry I can't leave Forks as easily as you did." _Stay strong, Bella. Guilt will not work. Guilt will not work._ And to catch Charlie's killer was worth everything as long as no one else died. Oh Lord, if someone else died, it would be my fault still. Everything was my fault nowadays. I patted my mother's back. "Mom, I really have to finish these dishes."

Renee pulled back, wiping her face. "Okay."

"And then I'll make up Char…Dad's room for you and Phil." Again, I struggled with the right words to say to Renee. She was beginning to drive me nuts.

"I can do that. Knowing your father, he probably never changed where I used to keep the linens."

I smiled. "Probably not."

"I love you, Bella, and you are never a burden to me. You come to Jacksonville anytime you want. I still have hopes of you attending college in Florida."

"I know, I know. Let me graduate first, okay?"

My mother dragged her feet back toward the living room, and I sighed again, thinking that I had come too close to losing my nerve. _Don't burn your bridges, Bella. Do not burn your bridges._ I sighed heavily. How was I going to get through the next two days with her watching me as she did? I could barely keep myself from crying over Charlie as it was. Now I was plagued with Victoria somehow taking another one of my loved ones. It could have been another person on the reservation, or a friend from school, or even Jacob. No, not Jacob. Never Jacob. I wouldn't even want it to be—

_CRASH!_

I winced. I heard my mother jump off the couch, the wooden leg bumping the short end table.

"Bella, was that you?"

"Uh, yeah. I must have dropped something. I'll take care of it."

"But that sounded like it was outside again —"

"Nope," I said, cutting Renee off. "All me; all Bella."

I grabbed my sneakers by the kitchen door and stepped outside, careful not to fling the door back lest Renee hear it and went out to investigate the offending noise again. I was pretty sure what it was.

"Humph, and Sam said I shouldn't be able to see you guys. What a laugh," I muttered. It wasn't too far into the forest that I saw two large, moving objects, one russet and the other almost a shade of sterling pearl. "Hey, you two," I called as Jacob yanked Paul by his ear. I whistled, their yellow eyes turning to my silhouette. "Aren't you two supposed to be watching me?"

The silver wolf grunted and Jacob walked slowly over to me, pushing his face into my inner left leg. I rubbed his head affectionately and continued to stare at Paul. He turned away, kicking at a small bush by a fir tree.

"Paul, thank you for being here," I said, not knowing how else to address him.

I felt Jacob's massive head turn a little, but I just grinded my knuckles into his collar, producing a small and enthusiastic grumble from his throat. Paul still didn't look at me and I felt a little uneasy.

"I'll have the house ready for you in a few days when my mom and Phil leave. Is there anything specific you would like during your stay?"

Paul shifted his head and Jacob growled ferociously. I yanked on his fur and Paul stood in a defensive stance in front of me and my wolf.

"Do I even want to know what you were thinking?" I asked Paul. Jacob let out a low yowl and Paul snarled back at him. "Behave. And if you think of anything, tell Jacob and he'll relay it back to me. If you can't keep your thoughts clean, I don't want to hear them." Paul snorted and walked a few feet behind another thick tree. I waited for a few seconds, but he didn't come back out. I gave up. "Come on, Jacob. I hope you bought some extra clothes. I still have some chicken pot pie left for dinner. It'd be a great snack for you before you get back to Bella-duty."

Jacob barked enthusiastically and ran a little ahead of me behind a tall bush, presumably to change back.

* * *

***A/N: Next up, Paul moves in! What fun! :-)**


	7. Fade Away

**Chapter Summary:** Bella finds herself at the mercy of fate and Paul, neither of which she is exactly thrilled about; yet she can't help but feel something when Paul's small and random acts of kindness leave her wanting more. The first day of Sam's new arrangements and under Paul's watchful eye, Bella wonders if it would have been better to let Victoria have her way.

* * *

**Chapter VI: 'Fade Away,' by Seether**

**BPOV**

_Two days later_

I paced back and forth in front of my red Chevy, anxiously waiting for Paul to come outside. _This is the day, Bella_, I thought. _This is the day that Paul moves in. Can you feel the excitement?_ I asked myself cynically. I loathed the internal workings of my mind, relishing at the same time as hating, the fact that Paul would be coming out of Jacob's house and getting into my truck. Billy had asked Paul to stop by first, but he hadn't given a reason. Maybe he needed a brush-up on manners. I wasn't sure. My nerves were shot, excitement and all, but I also had to confess that I was already getting impatient and I hadn't even had Paul in my house yet.

Renee and Phil had left for Jacksonville that morning and I missed them already. They had only been able to stay a few short days due to Phil's minor league schedule. Renee had wanted to stay behind a bit longer, but I had assured her that I would be safe-as safe as Bella Swan could be anyway. Renee didn't know that I really wouldn't be alone; Paul was going to be staying with me, in the house, unsupervised. If any of the people in town found out, I would be the town floozy in a heartbeat. There was no question about that-another calamity I would have to deal with, in addition to having an angry and growing teen werewolf in my house.

"What were you thinking, Bella?" I exclaimed loudly to myself. "You don't know this kid. Not really. Jacob hates him, that's for sure. The reservation sure doesn't like him. Your friends from Forks don't really care for him either. His own pack isn't that fond of him. Do you even like him? This is never going to work. This is not going to work," I repeated the last phrase over and over again, not sure if it was really me that was saying the words or if this was just a continuation of a dream that I was having. _No, Bella. This is no dream because Charlie's not here. Charlie would still be alive. Your dad would still be alive and you would not have had to cope with him leaving so soon after Edward_.

I continued to wipe at my face with sleeves that were too long, making me quickly remember Jacob's giant paws on my shoulders, licking my face to cheer me up a few nights ago. Jacob was such a special kid; he knew how tough it had been for me since the accident last week.

_Accident?_ _Bella, do you really think it was an accident or do you believe the hype around town? Have you started to believe the lies you have been telling the townspeople in Forks? Oh Bella, silly girl._

I cringed at the echo of my own voice, thumping in my head. _It was no accident_. I could fool myself about a lot of things, but losing Charlie last week-I could not deny-was my fault. The pack may not have thought so, and certainly, Renee, Phil, and the town didn't think so either since I had been at home when it happened, but I knew. Renee could call, groan, and pester all she wanted, but I couldn't go to Jacksonville and mess up her new life.

I didn't belong there.

Besides, I couldn't leave Charlie. I couldn't let his death be meaningless when I had been the one Victoria wanted. She should have came after me first. Charlie would have been left alive and I would have been dead, as I belonged. However, she didn't and I was fresh out of tears.

There was another reason I couldn't leave; Billy and Jacob were as a part of me as Charlie had been-closer than Renee even. Jacob would have been devastated if I left him.

_You'd miss Paul too much anyway_.

I almost gasped. _Miss Paul_? Why would I miss Paul? _You don't know him_. _Suddenly a hot, young werewolf is staying in your house for the next few months and you're abruptly ready to throw your future out the window?_

"I might not have much of a future left," I voiced. _Bella's days are numbered. Case closed._

I scoffed at myself. "You're wrong." I addressed my image in the window. "It wasn't even my idea to have him stay with me. It was Sam's." It was Sam Uley's fault. If this situation actually became a problem, I could always blame Sam.

I began pacing again. I must have been out of my mind. Paul had never shown that he meant me harm or even acknowledged me, other than a few, crude words in passing. Paul genuinely appeared to hate me as much as he hated everyone else. _Or at least he liked me as much as everyone else._ I didn't know anymore. Everyone in the pack was right; I was nuts for taking Paul in.

I pulled at my hair some more, making it look like I was primping myself in the window. "Get a grip, Bella. Get a grip," I resumed.

"Getting yourself ready for me, babe?" a voice behind me called.

My neck jerked back, already letting my temper get the better of me.

Billy wheeled himself out of his house, speaking with an even deeper tone of voice that reminded me of a stern father protecting his own daughter.

"Hey! Show some manners to Bella," Billy sounded. "She's actually being nice and giving us a break from you for a while."

"She's a real angel," Paul said sarcastically. "I can see her halo from here-oh wait, that's a target."

I still had my fists clenched. How dare Paul make fun of my unwanted, impending danger? Also what was worse, had Paul just called me 'babe' again?

I stamped my feet while walking over to him, already annoyed. I stopped a few paces short of him. "Don't call me 'babe' either," I stated sternly.

"Whatever you say," he commented snidely. His head turned toward my Chevy, and his nose twitched as if he smelt a vampire near. My eyes grew in alarm. "That beast looks like shit."

I fought the urge to hit him. This would not be easy at all. "Don't hate the truck, and shut up and get in the car."

Paul stared at me but said nothing, swinging his bag of belongings into the cab and covered most of the driver's seat with it. He knew damn well he was going to have to move it. I didn't care how small I was compared to his huge 6'5 frame; I was not going to drive him back to the house with his bag in my lap just because he didn't think my truck was good enough to hold him in it. What a prick.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Bella?" Billy asked me again, for the thousandth time since Sam had brought it to everyone's attention some days ago. "Your father would have a coronary."

I smiled a little, meaning it. "It'll be fine, Billy. I won't hesitate to rub Paul's nose in the rug if he pees on the floor."

I heard Paul snort loudly from my right.

"Okay then. Jake will be by later if you need some time away from that one." Billy pointed, not bothering to keep his voice down.

"I appreciate that, Billy. Tell Jake and the rest of the pack thank you for letting me borrow him."

"We should all be thanking you. He's been a problem for a few years," Billy said, looking toward the truck. "And Bella, don't hesitate to call if you need anything-even a gag."

"I won't—Aaah!"

I covered my ears as the sound of my loud horn blared abruptly. It was about the only thing that worked in my car on a consistent basis. "Ugh!" I screamed again at the noise.

"Can we go now?" Paul asked in an ugly voice, calling back toward Billy and me. "I've gotta scratch and I'm afraid I'll get stuck in this car permanently if I move too much."

I rolled my eyes and turned to face Billy again. "He'll be fine."

"It's you I'm worried about," Billy declared in concern.

"Then I'll be fine, too." I kissed Billy quickly, afraid that my horn would take another beating from Paul. I walked to the window and gave him the meanest look I could muster.

"About time, Swan," he said impatiently.

I continued to look at him, watching his strong jaw and listening to his horrid tone, but I wouldn't allow myself to be affected…much. "Do you mind?" I asked, as I looked down at his bag and then back at him.

"Yeah, whatever." He lifted his duffel, pushed it through the window of the cab, and into the bed of my truck. I heard the bag struggle to make it through the window. I started to say something, but didn't want to push my luck. Paul really did look as if he'd be like tuna in a can if he moved much in my truck. "I moved the bag. Get your ass in the car and drive."

"Don't talk to me that way. Do I need to set down a few rules for you?"

"I'm hungry," he announced.

"Is that what's wrong with you?" I inquired.

He said nothing at first. His mouth moved, looking as if he were struggling a little. "No," Paul finally answered.

"So what's the matter?"

He looked frustrated. "Can we just leave? I've been on the rez long enough, and when I finally get a chance to leave it, you prolong my stay," Paul huffed. "Get in the car and let's go get something to eat. I'm buying."

I looked bewilderingly at him. "Buying?"

"Yeah, I'm buying the food. You. Car. Now. Drive."

I wanted to get moving, but I was still unsure. "Buying?" I repeated.

"Jesus Christ, think of it as a date for all I care. Just get in the truck before I start to lick the paint chips off your car," he said nastily.

I groaned, casting an imploring glance at Billy, and he gave me a knowing look back. _Told you so, Bella_, it screamed.

My hand slapped my forehead and after some moments of asking myself why I was doing this again, I got into the car finally, not knowing what else to say to my new guest. I turned the key in the ignition and Paul looked as though he had relaxed, stealing the oxygen in the cab by inhaling so deeply. His arms were now calmly at his sides and there was an almost silent hum coming from his chest, like a generator that had just found an extra source of energy within. Paul looked as though he were positively in heaven, sitting so close to me and breathing me in.

"Thank you," he said much more quietly.

I was almost speechless. "You're welcome," I replied as I started to drive to town.

* * *

I took Paul to Bunhouse, a small burger franchise similar to Burger King and Hardy's, except they were the only eating place in town that gave money to anybody who could eat three of their special 48 oz burgers in the allotted time set by management. High school boys and just plain dumb ol' college kids came through Forks sometimes in droves to try and to finish just one of the special 48 oz burgers to be able to have their lunch free that day and no one had yet to take the money home. The competitive order was called the "Colossal Three," named for it's three lbs of beef, and Paul had just asked for four orders of them.

My eyes widened along with the rest of the customers' as Paul easily balanced the two giant trays of food and sat them down at our booth.

"Uh...way to be inconspicuous about your freakish werewolf strength, Paul," I said cynically.

"Didn't I said I was hungry," Paul repeated harshly. "I don't much give a shit."

"I'm aware of that."

Paul looked at me, taking a huge bite of one of his burgers-a sloppy thing dripping with onions, tomatoes, and dressing that I couldn't quite make out between the two buns and slab of thick beef. "Here," he said, tossing a clear, medium-sized plastic cup in my direction. It was a salad.

I looked at him.

"I thought you might be hungry. I said I was buying," he stated simply as if he did things like this all the time.

My fingers tapped on the translucent container a few times before I palmed it, bringing it closer to me. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Paul said nonchalantly. "Besides, I don't need you passing out famished behind the wheel while you're driving me around. You have that kind of luck."

I blinked. "Why is it that when you do something extremely nice, something nasty always has to come out of your mouth?"

"Well, what would you like to put in my mouth instead? Maybe what comes out will be a little more to your liking."

I glared at him. "I don't like you speaking to me like that and I would appreciate it if you would stop doing it."

"Well, aren't you all taut, Ms. High and Mighty?" Paul asked rhetorically before adding, "And no fucking way."

I gulped and placed my fork onto the napkin. "Paul, if we're going to live together, we'll have to come up with a few rules or something to keep things between us civil. Wouldn't you agree? You can't possibly like this enmity between us."

"Don't know what that e-word means," he said, while grinning.

I pushed my tongue to the roof of my mouth, knowing that he was playing dumb. "Yes you do, Paul. You just used the word 'taut'."

"That was only a few letters. I heard it in a movie."

I sighed. We were going nowhere, and fast. "Alright, how about this? Why don't we start out by telling each other a little about ourselves? Do you want me to go first?"

"When I said you could treat this like a date earlier, I didn't think you would actually take it to heart," Paul cut in. "I'm not in the mood to pretend like I care about where you're from, what you're going to do with your life, and how many pets you have at home."

"I don't have any pets, Paul. However, I will have one, big dog in my house for at least a few weeks, and I would like to get to know him a bit better before I make him sleep outside," I threatened, now fed up.

"I won't be laying at the foot of your bed every night, sweetheart." Paul's tone was nasty as he glowered at me across the booth's table. "You better go to Black for that bullshit. He likes licking your face and pretending that you're the greatest person in the world. That's not my thing."

"So what is your thing, Paul?"

"Right now it's eating, and I'd like to enjoy the rest of what is soon going to be a free meal if you can stay quiet long enough. Eat your salad," he ordered. "I was serious about you not fainting. I don't want to have to work to save your life on the first afternoon I'm watching you."

I trembled, fighting back tears. I stood up abruptly, shaking the table. Paul barely glanced up, lifting his now final burger of his second 'Colossal Three' orders-only six more giant burgers to go. That gave me maybe 10 minutes to clear my head.

I murmured at him, "I'm going to take a walk. I'll meet you by the car." I was afraid to let my voice go any higher for fear that I would collapse right behind my sentence.

I turned away from him and walked toward the exit door, the small squeaking of my sneakers following close behind. I folded my arms across my stomach, now positive I was going completely nuts. I had no idea what made Paul hate me so much. Or did he just hate anyone who tried to understand him? I didn't remember ever offending him; in fact, he had been the one who was defensive, standing in front of me as if he would have liked nothing more than to have me hit him. I really did believe Paul would not have hurt me even if Jacob hadn't stepped in that afternoon, but the anger in his voice was completely different than from what I saw in his eyes or the things he did for me.

_The salad_.

My mind jumped back to his most recent, kind act. The salad; why would he buy me a salad? Why would he even care that I was hungry? Mr. Macho had a heart somewhere in that giant chest of his and I was going to find it. Or I really was going to have to lock him out of the house for a few moments of peace.

_This has got to work. This has got to work. For Charlie's sake, this has got to work_, I promised myself.

"Bella. Bella Swan, come here," a male voice demanded of me, interrupting my internal monologue.

I turned toward the small curbside parking lot to my right, meeting the eyes of three guys from school that I was only vaguely familiar with. I was thinking they were friends of Mike's, but I couldn't be sure. They wore the same varsity blue and gold Spartan uniform Mike had, but I never remembered seeing them eat at our lunch table before. Maybe Lauren had mentioned them in passing at some point. Was that middle one with the thick brown hair Vincent? I couldn't remember.

I suddenly wished that my mind hadn't been in such a fog the last few months, even after Charlie's death. _Well Bella, if a simple, little thing like death was too trivial in the precious life of Bella Swan, then by all means, share with these three jocks what it means to have fun_, my head's voice maliciously spat back.

"Hello. Can I help you?" I asked, trying to be friendly but also keeping my distance. I still didn't know them very well, classmates from Forks or not.

"How you been doing lately?" the blonde with dark green eyes asked.

"Yeah," the brown haired one I thought was named Vincent added. "We were real sorry to hear about your dad. How have you been holding up?"

I relaxed a little. Just a few questions I could actually answer. No big deal. "I've been okay," I said back, not wanting to give away any more than that.

"Yeah? Want to come over and talk about it?"

Another boy, mousy with freckles strewn across his face, got up and walked over to me. I dipped my hands into the tops of my jean pockets before taking a slight step back.

"No, thank you," I answered back politely. "I have a friend waiting inside."

"So, what are you doing out here?"

"Yeah, come talk to Vincent about it."

So his name _is_ Vincent. _Score one for you, Bella; you got a name right. Congrats._

I shrugged. "I just needed some air. Not a crime, right?"

"Well, the police chief would know, but we don't seem to have one right now," the blonde replied.

I blinked back a tear before crying out, "What do you want?"

"To talk," Vincent said.

"Yeah, just hang out and talk a little with us," the freckled one suggested. He gripped my arm suddenly and gave me a little pull. I wrenched my wrist from the boy and placed my feet slightly apart to help resist my legs from moving any further. The mousy boy was stronger than he looked; my feet started to kick some of the pebbles.

"Get off of me," I started to shout. "Let go."

"Relax. We just want to talk," Vincent repeated.

"Not a crime," the blonde one chimed in. "Right?"

I shook my head as the mousy one finally got me to the small red Volvo, pushing me toward an opened door. I tried to jerk my arm, but nothing would make the boy relinquish his grip on my wrist until I was in the small car.

"Watch your head, love," Vincent cackled as he blocked my way out. The boys continued with their adjoined chuckling, and my adrenaline was now in full swing, nervous about what was going to happen next. I started to contemplate pleading with them to let me out of their car when I heard the blonde grunt, dropping to the floor. The mousy boy managed to slam the car door, almost nicking my fingers when he himself let out half a yell and was thrown onto the hood of the car. I then saw Vincent backing up from an angry Quileute, placing his hands in front of his chest as if that would somehow soften the blow; it didn't.

Paul pushed him into a small, low wall, putting his foot on Vincent's shoulder. He looked as if he wanted to press down into his collar.

"Paul!" I cried out behind the car window.

Paul glanced at me and flexed his fingers. He pulled Vincent's head up by his hair and hissed loudly, "The next time a girl says 'no,' she means it." He then dropped the boy's head back down. He walked over to me and broke the car window unnecessarily; the door wasn't locked.

I got out of the vehicle, relieved to see him. "Oh Paul, I—" I started to hug him when he pulled back.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he roared.

I stammered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. They're guys I know from school, and—"

"You're not immortal!" Paul screamed.

"I know, I know," I repeated. The last thing I wanted to be was rescued again; at least the boys had been human. Somehow, I didn't think Paul cared too much right now. He was still standing defensively, glowering, his face scolding me with a look that one gives a small child. An incapable, small child. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Please, I'm really sorry—"

"Don't ever leave me again!" he interrupted.

I blinked, taken aback by his last statement. "What?"

Paul shook his head, looking away for a moment before pressing on. "I mean, don't go anywhere without me again. It isn't safe," he said more quietly.

"Okay, I won't." My eyes dropped to his hand and they grew in panic as I noticed the caked up blood. "Paul," I said in a small voice, "your hand."

He briefly looked down and shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Why did you break the window of their Volvo? It wasn't locked."

"I did it just to fuck up their day. Now they have to pay to get their window fixed."

"But your hand," I repeated. "We have to take you to the hospital—"

His affected hand twitched. "I said I was fine, Swan."

"Let me see," I requested. "Please, let me see?" Paul let me grab his hand and I took a sharp breath, turning it over a few times. The blood on his hand was dry and there were no marks on his perfect skin, not even a scratch. "What the—?"

"We heal quickly. Werewolf, remember?" He spoke softly as he stole a peek around the lot to make sure no one could hear us. Two of my assailants had run off when Paul had turned to release me from the car and the blonde-haired boy was now grumbling and swearing on the floor. He didn't even look as if he knew where he was, much less care about what Paul was declaring.

"Oh, I didn't know that." I continued to rub his hand, grateful for the contact. My fingers dabbed in between his and I rubbed his blood-caked cuticles with my palm. His hands were rough, but it felt comforting for me. How could that be? His hands were like a heated loofah sponge that was made just for my body. Did I even want his hands on my body? I met his eyes briefly; his stance had softened and my stomach felt light. Paul turned his body a little toward me and his hand tensed only to gently rub my finger tips back. I smiled a little when I heard him swallow, and my eyes beheld the sight of watching the muscles in his throat contract.

Then, just as if the moment was over, his eyes narrowed at me suddenly and he yanked his hand back.

"You owe me for the one burger I didn't finish in my last order by the way. I left it back there to save your ass just now," he retorted.

My face turned red, annoyed that he was so impetuous and upset because I had actually been enjoying touching his hands. Who was this kid?

* * *

I opened the front door and stepped back to allow Paul inside first. His head and nostrils immediately went into action, twisting, turning, and sniffing for anything that didn't belong. At least, I was assuming that's what Paul was doing; he wasn't talking to me directly much.

Paul had taken to muttering obscenities from the time we had gotten back into the Chevy up until now. He was still going on and on and I had just about had it. He was turning into a bit of an unruly houseguest already.

But I needed him, apparently. The wolf pack had gotten nowhere in the last few days; no scents, no leads, no other vampires in the area yet. At least none that they knew of. The pack wasn't perfect. I knew that Jacob and his packmates needed to eat, sleep, and do homework. Vampires never slept and they had an infinite amount of time to do and learn everything that some people never had the chance to achieve in their lifetime.

So Jacob, Paul, and company had their flaws, but they were all I had now that Charlie and Edward were gone. And I felt grateful.

Paul dropped his bag close to the living room's entryway, slammed his huge body onto the couch, and sucked his teeth loudly. His foot hit the coffee table in front of him, almost turning it on its side.

"Paul, jeez. Be careful." I didn't want him to hurt himself.

"This shit is not going to work, Swan. This couch sucks," he swore again, rubbing his hand along the furniture's fabric.

I was in agreement with Paul; that couch wasn't the most comfortable thing to sleep on and to be 6'5 and have to stay in a place that you didn't want to be in, in the first place, had to be downright torture for Paul. However, that didn't excuse his rudeness either. I desperately tried to amend. "I could make up Charlie's bed for you, if you would like."

"I'd rather sleep downstairs. Think you can manage to not get into trouble while I get some shut eye?"

I squeezed the blanket I was holding in anger. "I'll try." My anger flared back up again. His eyes looked amused at my show of annoyance and I threw the covers at him. Paul's face turned into a tantalizing smirk.

"Werewolf, sweetheart," he said again. "I don't get cold. May I prove it to you?"

"No," I snapped. "Just take the blanket."

His body edged closer toward me, and I fought taking a small step back to keep in his warmth. "What for?"

"It's a peace offering," I finally managed to say. "You know, for saving me today."

Paul fell back. "If you had just kept your ass in our booth, it wouldn't have gone down like that."

I swallowed. "Nevertheless, thank you, Paul."

He looked away and glanced at the couch again. "You better not snore either."

"I should be telling you that, Paul," I nearly yelled. "How do I know you don't snore?"

"Why don't you sleep with me and find out?" he answered back.

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"You would like it too. I've never had a complaint and I'm one hundred percent discreet."

"I know all about those girls."

"Yeah? Give me some names."

I paused before blurting out the first name that came to mind. "Stacey," I exclaimed proudly.

Paul wrinkled his nose. "No fair. Every dude has slept with at least one Stacey."

I groaned and threw the other blanket at him, turning away and proceeding up the stairs to my own bed. "Disgusting dog."

"Sweet dreams, babe," he called over his shoulder.

"And stop calling me BABE!" I screamed back down at him as soon as I hit the second landing. I buried my face into my pillow once my body hit the bed, pondering what it would be like to burrow my head into Paul's chest instead.


	8. Sometimes

**Chapter Summary:** Bella learns more about her new house guest within the first 24 hours than she ever wanted to know. Worst yet, not everything goes as planned as Paul continues to press all of her buttons effortlessly, while she plagues his mind with self-doubt. Bella also spends more time with another pack mate and as much as Paul hates to admit it, he's jealous.

* * *

**Chapter VII: 'Sometimes,' by Skillet**

**(BPOV)**

The nightmares were almost unbearable and I wasn't even asleep; I ran out of blankets to cover myself with as I continued to toss and turn in the bed. It just seemed so cold. The dark stillness of my bedroom should have been a comfort for me, but it wasn't. I should have been asleep already, but I'm not. I should have stopped crying already too, but I couldn't. If Charlie had been here, I would have relied on his snoring as background music for the dancing sheep in my head, but I no longer could indulge in that luxury and I knew why; my body shook, the covers slipping out of my cold, but sweaty fingers. I cursed my body's reaction, blaming myself and my thoughts for another night of unfit sleep. Would it ever not be my fault? Edward, Charlie, the round-the-clock care from the pack...I was useless. Now I could only hope that I would be good enough to be the proper bait.

The dull ache that coursed through my chest was exactly what it was; a hollow, empty feeling that left me restless as the quiet droned on, only able to be measured by the minutes turning on my digital alarm clock on the nightstand. It sucked.

I turned over again to my left side, facing another bare corner of my room. I sighed heavily.

"Put a cork in it, Swan!" a voice suddenly shouted from downstairs. "Find a comfortable spot and keep still! I'm trying to sleep!"

Paul sounded angry, as if I was the one doing him a personal disservice. Like I had purposefully made myself suffer from temporary insomnia and planned on keeping him up.

I gruffed my response back to him, laid on my stomach, and covered my head with a pillow to welcome a sleep that eventually came. It didn't help that I had used Paul's deep, baritone voice to help stop the shakes. It continued to bustle inside of my head.

* * *

_The next morning_

I groaned immediately after gulping a mouthful of dry air, giving no nourishment to my throat. The effort scratched at my sides on the way down and I coughed a little, forcing myself to swallow anyway to take away the bad case of morning breath I had to endure. My feet hit the bare wooden boards and I dragged them, not anxious to start the day…until I remembered that I had a sleeping werewolf downstairs.

Excitement overtook my self-control as I flung myself out of my room, making sure that I looked somewhat presentable in a long sleep gown and flannel pajama bottoms-or at least looked fully clothed. I peeked over the banister and could see Paul's hulking figure sprawled over the couch, most of his bottom half touching the floor. I winced; that could not have been comfortable for him, and yet he looked peaceful. I realized that Paul was actually quite attractive when he slept…and he was quiet. He did not, in fact, snore, something that I had been much too distracted to notice as I begged for sleep to take over me last night. His breathing was even, and it was hypnotic listening to it.

I tiptoed down the stairs, and was careful to avoid the third from the bottom that liked to creak. I completely bypassed that one and advanced closer to Paul's sleeping frame. I fought the urge to rake my fingers through his hair as I looked down at his face. Jacob would have let me touch his hair and not thought much of it. I didn't even want to begin to think what it would mean to Paul if I touched him inappropriately. _If Paul would stay sleeping, this whole thing might actually work out_, I thought while grinning to myself.

"How long you going to stand there and eye-fuck me, Swan?" he suddenly asked, barely turning over.

I took a step back, not sure if I had heard him correctly. "Huh?"

"You've been watching me since you got up, and as much as I enjoy being gawked at by a chick, it's still rude to stare."

"You—you knew I was looking at you?" I stammered.

"I heard you get up. And you were _staring_ at me, sweetheart, not just looking. If you were looking at me, you would have merely turned your head and kept walking to the kitchen to make breakfast. Not just stand there, staring at me with adoration on your face."

I pulled at my hair and then moved my hands to my face, which had already reddened. "You looked peaceful. Why couldn't you have stayed asleep?"

Paul shrugged, now sitting up. "Maybe I would have slept longer if you had taken me up on my offer last night and slept down here with me. But you didn't and now you have to find a way to cope through the rest of the morning."

"What a treat for me," I said, gritting my teeth.

He gloated. "It should be. What do you want to eat?" he then asked.

"Eat? What do I want to eat?" I repeated.

Paul rolled his eyes. "Why is it that when I ask you anything about anything, you repeat after me in a stupid voice like you've never heard of it before? Do you think that's cute? Did your leech find that sexy because I actually just think it's annoying."

"Stop calling him that."

"What?"

"Edward. Stop calling Edward and his family 'leeches.' It's not nice."

"Stop ordering me around. Yesterday you tell me to talk to you differently and now you tell me to stop—"

"Paul, jeez. Could we not argue this morning?"

"We wouldn't be if you had just answered my goddamn question: what do you want to eat?"

"What do _you_ want to eat?" I snapped back.

"French toast."

"I'll make some."

"I can make it."

"Do you want to make it?"

"No."

"Then I'll make it. Just stop talking for five minutes while I get the eggs and bread out, alright?"

Paul sunk further into the couch and looked at me. "Fine."

I sauntered into the kitchen. I couldn't believe that old married couples were able to make breakfast together without killing each other. I seriously wanted to throttle Paul. He was so annoying and it seemed like every time he did something that could be considered nice, he'd suddenly remember that he was Paul and would take extra care to mess it up.

I grunted as I tried to reach what was left of the bread in the cupboard. Charlie must have put it up there; I didn't eat much bread and Charlie had a thing for white Wonder bread. I jumped a little, trying to snag the bread's plastic with my finger and still couldn't reach it. I held in a sob; why was everything so hard for me?

Suddenly a hand shot from behind me, calmly touching my back. Paul grabbed the bread easily and placed it on the counter in front of me.

I sniffed. "Thank you."

He shrugged and then turned, sitting down in Charlie's seat. I glanced at him again; how did he know I sat on that side of the table? Paul rubbed his jaw and played with the salt and pepper shaker near his other hand. I got the rest of the ingredients for our breakfast and true to his word, Paul stayed quiet while I toasted the bread in a pan.

"Shoot; did you want cinnamon French toast instead?" I asked him when the French toast was almost finished.

"No."

"Did you want any sausage or bacon with this?" I persisted. "It's just bread."

"I'm fine," he answered shortly.

"You sure?"

Paul's eyes flashed in anger. "You ever get tired of taking care of people, Swan?" he hissed at me.

"I care for people. That's not so horrible, is it? And why do you keep calling me by my last name? It's Bella, Paul." I sat the huge plate of plain French toast in front of him and waited. Paul grabbed a piece and held it up as if it were a glass.

"Well, congratulations in knowing your own first name, Swan."

I sighed and went into the fridge. "Juice?"

"Not if you want any. I'll drink one gallon by myself for breakfast if it's left in front of me for too long."

"I'll run to the store today and get some more."

"I get relieved for the afternoon. Jared will be over here."

"Then I'll take Jared with me to the store. Anything else you need from there? How about something for me to cook for dinner tonight?"

"No, whatever you get is fine." Paul's eyes lowered. "Want me to go with you instead?" he asked quietly. "Jared seems to touch everything in the supermarket, for some reason," he added, as if giving an explanation would make me understand the actions of his pack mate.

I squeezed the juice container, nearly dropping it in surprise from Paul's indifferent tone in asking to accompany me to the store. "No," I replied back warily. "You need the break. You deserve it."

"Fine," he said again as he swallowed another whole piece of toast. How could so much fit into his mouth? Nevermind, this was Paul we were talking about.

I sat my small glass of juice on the table and pushed the large container closer to him. I watched him chug half the juice in seconds and was amused when he belched loudly after, not seeming to care if I was in the room with him or not. It reminded me of Jacob and it was comforting.

"How did you sleep?" I asked, remembering that I had been worried about it upstairs.

"Shitty," he stated in his familiar, bitter tone. "That couch is horrible, like I said last night."

"Well, I can still make up Charlie's room for you. I don't mind at all."

"No."

I slowly forced down a bit of bread; I was starting to feel cold again. Whether it was from the draft in the house or Paul's unwelcoming attitude, I wasn't quite sure. "Well, we need to do something," I insisted, shaking off the chill. "I don't want you any grouchier, so what are we going to do about your sleeping?"

"Ask Sam to put Prince Jacob in this house with you instead and have him babysit so I can go back home."

"Oh." I couldn't help but feel a little hurt. "I'll ask Sam, if that's what you want."

Paul tapped the table and glanced away. "Alright, look, this thing is new for me. I don't respond to change very well. The first night I phased, I tore down half a house and seven trees. And I don't usually wake up with the same chick I saw the night before either."

"How lucky for the girl," I responded curtly.

Paul actually smiled and sat back. "Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to have a girl like me."

"A fight for the mirror," I said smartly, feeling the tension dissipate somewhat.

He chuckled. "I like that. We'd have to have mirrors everywhere and then I really would love every room in the house."

I scoffed. "Only you would take an insult and turn it into something vain about you. I'm willing to bet that somewhere inside you, there is a really nice guy and I can't wait to meet him one day."

Paul kept his small grin and cleared the rest of his plate of food, placing it gently into the sink. He walked back into the living room and flicked on the TV, not saying another word. Jared arrived around two and Paul left without so much as a goodbye to either Jared or me. He merely gave Jared a slap on the back, tucked the same shirt he had worn to sleep into his jeans, and walked out of the house. I wasn't sure if I was more relieved to see him leave or more devastated that I hadn't asked him to stay, but I knew he needed the break. Paul wasn't the best person to play 'house' with.

* * *

_At the market…_

Jared walked down the candy aisle, touching everything, like Paul had said he would.

"Jared," I began, turning to him, "why do you do that?"

"Part of a bet. I bet Embry that I would be able to touch 1,002 different things in the supermarket."

"Each time you go to the market?"

"Each time I go. I can't touch the same item on the same visit though," he explained. Another mystery solved by the great Detective Swan.

I looked skeptical. "How do you remember what you've touched?"

"Werewolf; good memory," he answered as he patted himself on the head.

I shook my head. I was going down a mental shopping list in my own mind, trying to ask Jared about anything that Paul might like. If there was anything that might make his stay with me a little more bearable, I wanted to do it. But Jared was not of much help to me, either.

"Just get him lots of meat, if you can afford it," Jared suggested. "He likes burgers a lot. Get him those."

"Yeah, I noticed he likes burgers." I began thinking of our past adventure at Bunhouse from yesterday. "What else? I can't keep feeding him burgers for his stay at the house. Does he eat fish?"

Jared wrinkled his stout nose. "Not really. Jacob is the only one of us that actually eats fish."

"Well, he sort of grew up on it. Billy and Charlie always ate what they caught. Come to think of it, I don't miss the smell of fish in the house."

"Yeah, I can't stand the smell either."

I thought quietly for a few seconds while watching a young blonde girl nearly crash into the potato chip stand from looking at Jared; he was not wearing a shirt. I wasn't affected at all. I was so used to the guys in the pack that I figured the only way that I would be shocked was if one of them actually did decide to put on a shirt. With most stores, there was usually a 'no shirt, no shoes, no service' rule, but no one seemed to enforce it. Or at least no one wanted to tell any of the La Push gang about it. "How about chicken?" I resumed asking.

"Ha! Only if you stuff it with ground meat, ham, and bacon. Then he'll love it."

Now I scrunched up my nose. "Yuck. That's a lot of meat. Chicken is supposed to be healthy."

"We don't get sick. There's only two ways we get sick: a bite from you know what," Jared said as he gave me knowing look, "and if we're away from our mates too long."

"Mates? Like wives?"

Jared laughed. "No. Our imprints are more than our wives; they're a part of us."

"What's an imprint?" I asked, stopping in front of the frozen food aisle.

"Soulmate," Jared answered back, as if it were the most simplest thing in the world. "Werewolves got this thing for tracking-smelling the perfect female that's out there for us. When we find her, we hate being away from her. We'll like literally get sick if we don't get to see them, talk to them, smell them, whatever. Some kind of contact to let us know that they're there for us," he went on.

"So if you don't get that contact from your imprint?"

"We turn mean as fuck."

"Jared!" I exclaimed at his cursing.

"My bad." Jared looked sheepish for an instant. "But I mean, seriously, you find someone that you get along with, want to be around and shit, and then to not have them around just pisses you off. You don't die or anything, but you could get sick, turn mean as hell like I said before, or both. We kind of, like, go nuts. Like we've got rabies or something. We start foaming at the mouth, attack anything that comes near us, and we—"

"Okay, okay, I got it. You guys turn mean as heck when you don't get laid."

"It's not about getting any. We'll even cuddle with the girl if she wants to."

"Wow." I was amazed. "That could not be Paul."

Jared hooted loudly, placing a hand to stop the shaking of a nearby metal shelf. "Nah, probably not."

"So, vampire bites and a rejection from an imprint is a recipe for a mean werewolf. That sound about right?"

"Pretty much, but we do die if we get bitten by a bloodsucker. Our bodies can't take the venom."

"I'm learning so much," I joked. "What else can you guys do besides possess all these superpowers like healing, great sight, hearing, and crap that the rest of us ordinary people can't do?"

"We have great stamina."

"Oh lord, it's like talking to Paul," I half cried out, chuckling. "Why do I get the feeling that Paul never had a problem with the ladies before he started phasing?"

"He never did. Did he tell you about the first night he phased?"

I shook my head, fully interested.

"He had a girl at her house, in her room. They were…you know, and she did something that he didn't like and he freaked out. Almost turned on her and he threw her across the room. I mean, he literally hurled her off of him and threw her across her own room. It was actually a good thing, because she got knocked out and never saw what happened to him after. He was shrieking and banging his head through a wall when Sam and I rushed over from all the commotion, and I was like 'Dude, you fucked her unconscious' and he ran at me, phasing right there. He took down the other wall of the bedroom. It was hilarious. I mean, once Sam checked that the girl was okay, it was really funny."

I was mortified. "Oh my God, did he get in serious trouble with the girl's family? What about his parents?"

Jared continued chuckling as he answered. "Oh man, did he get in trouble, but the council couldn't do much except put him under a tighter leash, which he never abided by anyway. Paul's mother is still completely clueless and his father was never around much to begin with. Paul's dad was only around right after Paul was born, then left. Sam's father took off on him and his mother too. Half of La Push thought for awhile that Sam's father was Paul's father too, only because it's not like the men in our tribe to, you know, take off, but they're not related."

"How do you know?" I didn't think Sam or Paul were brothers anyway, but I was curious as to how Jared and the pack knew for certain.

Jared shrugged. "I think we would have found out by now if they knew that they were there. You can't keep secrets in the pack. Well, not for long anyway." He turned down a canned food aisle and touched a big can of Spam. "Yuck. Don't ever feed us this. This is not real meat."

I laughed at his abrupt change of subject, but let it go. I was already finding out more about Paul than I needed to know, anyway.

Jared continued to happily chat away on the drive back home and he was still pretty animated helping me unpack the food. He touched everything in my cupboards and then everything in the fridge. I shook my head and let him; Jared was really pleasant company. I was a little sad to see him leave, seeing that he was a little like Embry: a generally happy guy. Jared even filled me in on Quil phasing last night for the first time. "Boy was he happy. I had never seen someone so excited to turn into a wolf. He was running around chasing birds for three hours. Scared a mother on the rez half to death when he missed a blue jay and landed in the small creek that runs along our border. That was funny too."

"Sounds like it," I said, only half listening.

Jared carried on with his story as I fixed the couch for Paul that night. Suddenly I heard a loud bang from the back of the house.

"Cool, Paul's back. Hey, what's going on?" Jared turned to address a moody-looking Paul, who was filthy, tracking in mud. His shirt had some brown earth on it and a little was in his hair too, giving him the appearance of streaks.

"Ugh, Paul," I started. "What happened?"

"I played in the dirt," he replied nonchalantly.

"Why?"

"Felt like it," he snapped abruptly. "Who cares; I was out of the house while you two went shopping since you didn't want me to come. Did you two spend the whole time gossiping? Discussing what to make the kids for lunch and shit?" he asked sarcastically.

"Paul," I warned.

He sucked his teeth and turned toward a still-smiling Jared. "Get out."

Jared blinked, but did not lose his amused grin. "Cranky much?"

"I had to come back to this house just so I can sleep on a shitty sofa for a few hours," Paul retorted. "Now I can only hope that the Swan here doesn't think she can fly and decide to cartwheel in her sleep and out of her bedroom window. A trip to the ER would cut into the rest of my sleep for the night."

"Hey, I'm standing right here," I defended myself. "And I can't do a cartwheel; I never could. The blood rushes to my head too fast and I get dizzy. Motion sickness and all," I added softly.

Paul stared at me. "You're a certain type of special, you know that, Swan?" he mocked.

I ignored him and turned to Jared, who now looked apprehensive. "Thank you for going shopping with me so that this one can eat," I said, pointing to Paul. "See you the next time you have to relieve him."

"Done." Jared smiled again. "Bye, Bella. You too, grouch," he added jokingly.

Paul growled and Jared left without another comment. I folded my arms and looked at Paul again. My eyes traveled the length of his built body, taking several seconds to do so. The vein in his arm twitched by itself, but the rest of him was unmoving. His eyes bored into mine as I took him all in. My hair fell into my face and I watched his hand move slightly as if he wanted to catch it.

"What'd you get?" he spoke finally.

I blinked. "What did I get?" I repeated.

"You're doing it again; stop rephrasing my questions and just answer them the first time around. What did you buy at the supermarket?"

I groaned. "I got you a lot of meat, but I didn't start it because I didn't know what time you would be back. I didn't want to feed you nothing but red meat and Jared said you liked chicken."

"I tolerate it."

"Well, I'll heat up some chicken fingers so you'll have some meat with your macaroni salad."

"Salad?"

"Yeah, try it. Wolves eat salad every now and again."

"Forget it. I'll go hungry."

"What about just the chicken fingers then?"

"They'll take too long in the oven."

"Roll 'em around in your pants. You're always telling me you're hot," I advised, attempting to joke with him.

"I'd rather have your hand in my pants, Swan."

There was Paul. "Disgusting, Paul."

"Don't be so uppity. I told you about that. You need to relax a bit more if you're going to live with me in this house. Like I asked you before, when was the last time you relieved some of that stress? Even self-help would do wonders for you," he sneered.

I felt my face flush as I snapped, "I don't do that."

"Then at least run around the house naked. That could help too."

"With you in the house now?" I rolled my eyes. "Sure, sure, I'll get right on that."

"It's extremely liberating to take off your clothes. Observe." Before I could stop him, Paul lifted his shirt and threw it behind the couch and I was just barely able to close my eyes in time as I heard the zipper to his jeans. I blindly felt my way to the stairs, running as fast as I could without tripping. I stumbled to my bedroom, touching my small bed post as I passed it.

"Oh my God, he's naked. I think he's naked, Bella. I think there is a naked werewolf in your house. Oh God, oh God, oh God," I repeated over and over again to myself.

"Swan, you're not looking," he taunted not too far behind me. I turned rapidly, opened my eyes, and focused on his face, not daring to venture any lower than his neck. My pulse raced faster as his head gently rested on the archway of my bedroom's door, looking pleased. "What's the matter? Does my being half-naked bother you?" he asked, sounding like a cheesy line straight from a romance novella.

"You're more than half-naked," I said, disagreeing with him.

"You sure? Maybe I just gave the appearance of being nude. How do you really know I'm naked, anyway?" Paul continued to goad. "Your eyes never strayed below my waist line. Sure you don't want a small peek? I won't tell."

I touched my wrists, my eyes casually dropping below his still mouth, his adjoining muscled, twin pecs, washboard abs, and his perfect V-shape—oh my God, he was definitely naked! I covered my face.

"Please don't do this," I softly begged.

"Don't do what?" he asked innocently.

I heard him take another step toward me, noisily announcing himself as he did, toying with my emotional state of mind, and truth be told, he was. My heartbeat sped up even more at the thought of his body pressing itself against me. Sweat began to drip down my back, and I tried to cross my legs without appearing obvious though it seemed pointless. Paul knew what he was doing and I was almost convinced that I liked that he knew. My flesh ran hot. I winced at the pain it was causing me; at the throbbing discomfort Paul was inflicting on me. My thighs were wet, clenching. I held my stomach in to help slow down my breathing, but nothing helped. His cedar and maple scent was in my nose and he was so close to me that all I had to do was extend one finger maybe half an inch and I would be able to touch him. I would be able to make him mine. All I had to do was turn my palm out and accept him as he was, as naked as he was. I knew he would feel good. He would have to feel good.

I could feel Paul's breaths lavish my neck; his nose brushed my chin and I gasped. "Stop. Stop it, please." I opened my eyes and looked into his; his burnt sienna eyes were searching and absorbing every inch of my very embarrassed face, seeing that I was in anguish over him being so close to me.

Paul finally withdrew. "I need a shower anyway," he said after.

I tore my eyes away as he stepped back and walked toward the bathroom. I weakly stumbled back across my room, locking the door. I got into bed shaking again, the tremors differing from last night, as I gathered the covers around me, covering as much of my body as I could for what I was about to do. I tentatively lowered my pajama pants and glided across my already wet, pink lips before they felt the soothing warmth of my fingertips inside of them. I closed my legs, locking my knees so that my hands couldn't escape the pressure when it was finally released and I felt no shame as I softly exhaled into the pillow, with tears staining my pale face.

**(PPOV)**

I could smell her from the shower. It was driving me crazy to be so close to her, but not be able to do anything. I muttered her name, stroking myself and as the lukewarm water tore down my back, breaking down my pleas for sanity, I imagined breaking into her. I would hold her body close to me and make her belong to me, finally. I was already hers; she just didn't know it.

"Baby, too hard," I softly instructed, imagining that she was in front of me. "Don't try and force it out."

Bella was touching herself. I knew that I had been affecting her and I wanted her to admit it. I wanted to taste her skin, crash into her warm body and make it mimic my heat, and then force her to speak my name as if it were hers before she would disappear into the pleasure at I gave her.

But she was going to have to learn a few things first.

Bella seemed to understand nothing about her body and that bloodsucker had taught her even less in the time that they were together. She was a wreck and it was disheartening to know that she had wasted her time with that leech, having nothing to show for it. _What the hell?_ I could hear her breathing sharply as she jabbed herself internally; her fingernails were much too long for that kind of stimulation. If they were only stroking my cock, it'd be fine, but long nails belonged nowhere near the inside of a woman and my Bella was no exception.

"Come on, honey, relax. Just relax and let me do it," I begged, but my words fell upon deaf ears-the only one hearing me was me.

I wanted to help her. I wanted to turn off the shower, turn the door knob, and see her on the bed, waiting for me to show her how. I would calmly use my sensitive touch to caress her legs, smooth out a few strands of her hair before I would move toward her center of pleasure and release the world for her to enjoy. I would do it till she told me to stop. I would do it even after she told me to stop. Her body was like a problem I wanted the solution for; a recipe with a missing ingredient that only I possessed. I gargled a low, frustrated scream as she came too early and I was still as hard as a rock. I drowned myself in her scented orgasm as best as I could, but I knew it hardly compared to being physically there with her.

This shower was not helping me or my thoughts at all.

"Not working. This shit is not working," I whispered. I was losing it. It took all that I had not to rush into her bedroom and take her in the shower. _I'd bet she'd scream then_. A good orgasm always required a good scream; at least the ones I gave, anyway.

I wiped my face, not feeling any more relaxed. My imprint was merely yards away, pleasuring herself, and I was stuck in the shower with blue balls.

_Way to spend the second night in your imprint's house, Paul_, I scolded myself.


	9. Show Me

***A/N: I'm sorry; I rewrote this chapter five times to get it right, and I hope I did the characters justice. I would love to thank my two betas for this next chapter, lavenderskyy and duskwatcher, who made this whole experience much better. I hope everyone agrees. :-) Enjoy, as always!**

**Chapter Summary:** A little rough-housing goes a long way as Paul and Bella make noticeable changes to their lifestyle and personalities as they continue to share one roof. Things are really starting to look up as the two new roommates become more comfortable around each other, and even bond to a certain extent. That is until Paul asserts his dominance toward someone who he feels is less than adequate for Bella, and later reveals more about the imprint relationship than he wants to.

* * *

**Chapter VIII: 'Show Me,' by Default**

_A few days later_

I blinked furiously, trying to keep my eyes open and head up as I started to fall asleep, my neck jerking horribly at the involuntary motion. I was sitting in the rocking chair of my room, cross-legged with nose buried in _Pride &Prejudice_ by Jane Austen when I heard a string of curses that would have made even Charlie cringe. I still wasn't sleeping very well and my thought had been to read a few chapters before I would attempt to doze off, although it was only a little before four in the afternoon. That dream went quickly out of the window as I heard the ongoing interruptions of blasphemy coming from the living room. Here and there, I briefly detected an announcer rambling off sports lingo, a language that I had never pretended to comprehend, and heat rose to my cheeks as Paul's assault on the English language with obscenities continued, which unfortunately I did understand. I sighed loudly, displaying my anger to an empty bedroom when the person that I was mad at was really downstairs, watching and swearing at a game on TV. At least, I think that was why he was swearing.

"Paul, could you keep the cursing to a minimum?" I called down to him very loudly. I heard nothing for a few seconds and when I was satisfied, my head went back down into my book. As soon as my face dipped again, Paul resumed, shouting out more profanity that I sincerely hoped was not directed toward me, for his sake. "Paul!" I screamed again. He did not answer. I slammed my Jane Austen closed and with book in hand, I stomped down the stairs. Paul made no move to look at me as I glared at the back of his head, passing him, and went straight into the small hallway to get my black hoodie from the closet.

"Where's the Swan flying off to?" Paul asked, stopping me from zipping up my hoodie right away. I turned, staring at his chest unintentionally-_I hope_-for a second before my eyes lifted to his face. He was shirtless, as usual, and in jeans.

"Shirt?" I interjected, trying to throw him off. I knew the answer before he said anything.

"Werewolf," he answered simply. "Where are you going?" Paul asked again.

I paused. "I am going outside to my truck."

"Why?"

"Because the werewolf that I live with won't keep quiet while I read upstairs," I snapped.

Paul made an ugly noise with his mouth. "That's what you were doing up there? Shit, Swan, who the fuck reads school books on a Wednesday afternoon?"

"I do!" I yelled.

He grinned. "You have a pretty loud scream for such a small thing."

I tapped my foot on the floor, concentrating on the noise so that my mind would not run aimlessly while looking at Paul. Paul was living in my house; a feat that I can only describe as "amazing" since we had yet to kill each other. I thought for sure that one of us would have given up by now, but he hadn't asked me to relinquish him of his duty to protect me, and as far as I know, he hadn't asked Sam to bail him out of this either, even if he had mentioned it our first morning together. _Oh my God, our first morning together, Bella?_ I silently thought. _This isn't a honeymoon-this is life and death. Victoria means you harm, your death...and Paul is life? Could Paul now be a real part of my life?_ I wanted him to be, if he wasn't already. I wasn't sure why. Aside from his jokes-crude, unnecessary, and too often-it was hard not to think and ponder what was going on in his mind.

I even dare to say, I wished that I could read his mind.

"Hey," Paul spoke suddenly, snapping his fingers. "Pay attention."

I shook my head, pretending that I had been listening all along. "I am," I lied. His head cocked as if studying me. I fidgeted. "Paul, will you keep your cursing down so that I can go back to reading upstairs?"

Paul ignored my question and turned completely around on the couch, his entire face and upper body in my view. "Whatchu reading anyway?" His voice was low, with a hint of confidence and swag that I couldn't help but notice.

"Pride & Prejudice," I responded automatically.

His eyebrows raised into his forehead. "That a chick novel?"

I shook my head, trying to hold in a chuckle for some reason. His tone turned so inquisitive that it resembled a curious child asking his parents a question, like "Where do babies come from?". Then again, I was almost one hundred percent sure Paul learned exactly how babies came to be, and had known for quite some time. "No," I meekly replied back, "but it is a romance novel."

He made another sour face. "Fuck that."

"Have you read it before?"

"No," he admitted adamantly.

I bit my lower lip, asking myself if I wanted to continue this conversation. "Then how do you know you won't like it? I'm sure there are a lot of things that you haven't tried yet you hate them."

"I never tongued a bloodsucker before either, but I know I won't like that," he retorted.

I kept my mouth in a tight line, now knowing I definitely did not want to pursue this exchange with Paul. "I am going outside to read," I announced again, and twisted myself away from him.

"Don't get pulled under a bridge by the troll, alright?" he called after me.

I gave a small turn, cleverly avoiding tripping for once in my life, and answered over my shoulder. "There are no such things as trolls," I snapped back.

"Yeah, right," he said, while grinning. "No such thing as leeches or werewolves either."

I didn't answer him as I went outside, intent on proving to him that not only could I stay out of trouble, but that I would also be able to read my romance novel in peace. I hopped in as carefully as I could into the bed of my truck, stumbling some as I grabbed onto the Chevy's side.

"Good work, Bella," I said softly, congratulating myself in my second daring thing of the past three minutes.

I was happy that I seemed to not be as clumsy as I use to be. I pulled on the bottom of my jeans so that my legs would get a little air as I stretched them out, and I zipped up the rest of my black hoodie, feeling a bit of wind pick up. The sun was still high at four, so I took my time rereading the first few pages of the book, my eyes scanning for any minor detail that I might have missed while inside my room minutes ago. _Pride & Prejudice_ was not a new story for me; the characters Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy were a big part of the small and childish fantasy I had for myself. How wonderful and horrible it would be to find that the person you hate is the one you are destined to be in love with. It was not like that at all with Edward; I had loved him from the beginning. But then again, I had never experienced much of anything else _before_ Edward. My own thoughts pulled me away temporarily from the first few pages of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's discussion of their five daughters for a moment as I pondered over my former relationship with my vampire love, Edward.

I was down to thinking of Edward only a few times during the day, but I hardly felt anything anymore when his name echoed in my head. Many people would say that "out of sight, out of mind" holds true in this situation, but I did not believe that at all; it was as if my feelings for Edward had finally come full circle and were beginning to heal. The hole in my chest was no longer overbearing or even tolerable as I had originally thought when the voice and notion of Edward first started to disappear. The pain had just simply vanished. Almost at the same time I had discovered werewolves in Forks. Or Paul in Forks, whatever. I stopped that thought before it could form and shrugged, going back to my book. I no longer wanted to reflect on the disappearance of Edward. What was done was done, and Edward wasn't coming back.

No sooner than I had reached the chapter where Elizabeth and Darcy first meet at the Bingley's mansion, I felt a poke at my shoulder, rocking my body and the Chevy slightly.

"I'm bored," Paul proclaimed before my head could finish lifting.

My eyes widened as I finally met his stare, seemingly taking a long time. Could I really not wait to look into Paul's eyes again? I pushed that thought out of my mind as well. "So to cure your boredom, you've decided to watch me read?" I asked with more malice than I meant. Paul could act so childish.

Paul would not let up. "Nothing else to do."

"Weren't you watching a game before?"

Paul nodded.

"You don't want to finish it?" I questioned.

"I guess not."

"Why?" I insisted.

Paul's eyes suddenly hardened. "What?" he started, sounding outraged. "Don't like having me around already?"

"What—no!" I exclaimed, embarrassed that I may have hurt his feelings. "Of course not. That's not what I meant at all." I dropped my eyes. "If you're sure you want to watch me read—"

"I don't want to _watch_ you read. I want you to read to me," he clarified.

I shook my head, feeling self conscious and nervous. Edward was the only one I had ever read to, and now Paul wanted to do something that reminded me of Edward. I didn't want to make memories of Paul conflict with my memories of Edward. "Why the change of heart?" I asked, attempting to dissuade him. "It's 'a chick book,' remember?"

Paul would not be swayed so easily and climbed into the truck, a whiff of him making my mouth hunger for things other than food. I carefully folded the book in my lap as he _thumped_ on the truck's bed."If it's such a good book, show me," he commanded. "Start reading it to me, and I'll tell you what I think."

I gave a small chuckle. "Won't you tell me what you think of it anyway?"

After some seconds of deliberation, Paul smiled. "Probably," he admitted. "Read, Swan."

I looked at him again. "I read to Edward too," I said, hoping that he would understand what I was conveying behind the statement.

"I'm not the bloodsucker; read to me," Paul ordered again, his expression hard.

I sighed, knowing that I would not be able to convince him of another activity. I opened the book again, spreading it wider so that he may see the pages if he wanted to, and he sat closer to me in the truck's bed, pushing his jean-covered legs under mine. The movement made me feel at ease, an immense rush of heat running through my legs as he sat almost still while I began to read. He lasted about two minutes before he started acting like himself again.

"Any sex in this book?" he interrupted.

I blushed. "Well, it's—it's implied, Paul. Kind of, but not really," I stammered. I suddenly realized that there were no real sex scenes in the novel either; I had never noticed that before.

"No sex? Fuck, this is going to suck big time," Paul swore. "Alright, so the sex scenes are implied, sort of? Any pictures of it?"

"Goodness, no, Paul!"

Paul groaned, his head hitting my shoulder. He began banging his head softly into the side of my neck. "What have you done to me, Swan?" he asked rhetorically. "Make it stop, make it stop," Paul repeated as his head continued to collide playfully at my side.

I started to laugh. "Paul, quit it, you big beast," I said jokingly. I pushed his face back, my fingers slipping into his soft hair, and rummaged his scalp. His right leg began to intertwine with my left, his hot skin brushing my ankle. I jumped at the sudden spike of heat. Paul stopped and his eyes trailed down to the reddened area where we touched. He stared at my ankle for seconds. "What? What are you looking at?" I asked nervously.

"Your ankles."

I relaxed a little. "Is that your favorite part on a woman?"

Paul gave me a seductive smirk. "Sort of," he answered.

My face grew warm again, trying to shy away from him, but my body would not cooperate; it did not obey the logic in my brain to leave Paul's gaze. "Why is that?" I asked timidly. "Don't…don't most guys like breast and butt?"

"I love a good pair of tits and ass too," Paul commented, "but I like your ankles."

"Oh. Okay, thanks," I replied sheepishly.

"Yeah," he whispered, his raspy voice and mouth disappearing into my hair. "They'd look great around my neck."

I gasped. "Gosh, Paul," I cried out. "That is so…that is so you." I laughed. I wasn't even mad. "Why am I no longer surprised by what comes out of your mouth anymore?"

Paul flicked at my hoodie's zipper. "Been with me too long."

"Maybe," I agreed. "I feel like I know you already."

"Not all of me."

"Well, I know your favorite food: burgers. I know you don't snore, you're favorite part on a woman," I continued to rattle off, counting on my fingers. "You hate wearing shirts, like the rest of the pack," I said knowingly, "and you're a nice guy, but you hate showing it," I finished.

It sounded like Paul stopped breathing. Or maybe all I wanted to do was concentrate on his voice. His eyes narrowed, still holding in a breath. "Who said I was nice?" he challenged.

I held my ground, not fulfilling my need to breathe either. "I did," I said stubbornly.

He gave a short bray. "And you've never been wrong?" Paul mocked. "Trusting and being in love with a parasite didn't get you any smart points in my book."

My body went closer to his face, almost like a pull. The gap between us was a mere two inches. "You're not a vampire," I stated, obviously.

Paul leaned in even more. "You don't love me," he said, sounding as if he was accusing me.

My stomach jumped at his words. "I could," I blurted out. Paul's eyes widened and he withdrew. I could swear I started to shiver the moment my body lost contact with his. I thought my lungs were going to collapse until I remembered to take in air. His aroma gave me a small bit of strength as I struggled with my next few statements. "I mean, I…I could love you as a friend. We're friends now, right?" I asked uncertainly. "You hate me less than everyone else now, right?"

"What, we got a love-hate thing like the characters in your book?"

"Well," I swallowed hard before continuing, "We didn't quite get that far in the story yet, but I don't hate you, Paul. I never hated you," I admitted.

Paul's mouth twitched, but he seemed less standoffish than before. "Alright, _friend_, I want a burger," he said abruptly. "Or ten."

That might have been as sentimental as Paul would get this afternoon. I gave in. "Okay."

Paul moved out of the truck first and I stood up, thinking that my luck would hold as I made my way to the lip of the bed when I slipped. My body jerked as I landed in Paul's outstretched arms. My cheeks burned from embarrassment and then the flame intensified from my thoughts of my body hugging Paul's, without pesky nuisances like noisy neighbors or clothes. _Without clothes?_ My mind shrieked at me. I looked at him apologetically as if he could hear my thoughts, but Paul just stared back at me, the tone in his eyes tender as he kept his arms wrapped around my waist for much longer than two friends should, as we had claimed to be a minute ago.

"Thank you," I murmured weakly.

Paul said nothing as he continued to hold me, not letting go. I smiled shyly and rubbed his shoulder with my palm, not sure if his bare skin would be too hot for me to handle just then, but as my fingers touched his smooth, russet tan, I found that he was my perfect temperature. My eyes started to fall before I could catch them, and the side of my head drifted down, touching Paul's upper chest. I could hear his heart beating, the sound clogging my ears. The rhythm felt welcoming, lulling me into a sleep that I had forgotten about the past couple of nights as my nightmares kept me from dreaming pleasant dreams, and the fearful thoughts of Victoria haunted me as I laid awake. I was safe in Paul's arms. I was safe anywhere he was.

I abruptly shook myself awake, feeling Paul's arms suddenly tense. "Sorry," I apologized. "I haven't been sleeping very well. I didn't mean to doze off like that."

"It's cool. I get it...I hear you at night," he said quietly.

My eyes lit up. "Hear me what?" I asked nervously. _Oh no, I hope Paul hadn't heard me all those times I masterbated-_

"I hear you when you can't sleep," he added, interrupting my thoughts. "You toss and turn, remember?"

My hands shook against him a little, my anxiety and the feel of his arms keeping me on my toes. "Do I keep you awake?"

"That's not what keeps me awake."

I held my breath again. "What keeps you up?"

He was hesitant, but his eyes never left my face. I suddenly felt like his answer was the one thing in my life that I had been waiting for, the one thing I knew for sure that I wanted to hear. Lines appeared in his otherwise youthful, but mature forehead. "Wondering," he spoke softly.

"Wondering what?" I pressed.

"Wondering what the Swan did to piss off the leeches so much," he said, chuckling a little as he did so. "There is one trying to kill you, you know."

I joined, breathing, and tightening my grip around him again. _Maybe he was not aware that I was holding him_, I thought. He felt so good to hold. "I'm great for upsetting people or haven't you noticed? They love me and leave me," I added, taking a stab at myself.

Paul's head was touching mine, his neck angled down to my craning one.

"You do have a knack for that," he agreed. "You certainly did piss off the Prince." My eyes widened as Paul further explained. "The 'let's be friends' remark a couple of weeks ago was funny, and it dashed his hopes and dreams of the future," he said, laughing harder. "You have no idea how his ego was burned when you said that to him on the beach."

"How...how did you know about that?" I asked, amazed. "And I wasn't trying to hurt him-"

"Please, he needs a reality check sometimes," Paul said harshly, cutting me off. "And there's no secrets in the pack."

I nodded, remembering what Jared had said at the market. "So," I began, "does that mean I can ask your packmates about what you really think of me?"

Paul's face seemed panicked for a moment. "No, don't," he said quickly.

"Why?" I asked, my curiosity searching to be satiated.

"Cause I'd tell you without you having to ask them," Paul answered.

"And what do you think?"

"You're not so bad," he replied. "For a leech-lover."

I smiled. "And you're not such a big, bad wolf either," I joked, the center of my hands going numb in his radiating, but pleasant heat. Paul's eyes darted for a moment, but then refocused on me. His fingers could have burnt themselves into my clothing and I would have been grateful. _No more clothes between us_, my mind repeated, taunting me.

"Shampoo," he whispered.

"Huh?" I asked, confused.

"Shampoo. It's peach, right? I like your peach shampoo," he explained. "You were listing the things that I liked and I wanted to add that I like your peach shampoo. The smell is better than the strawberry one."

"You like my peach shampoo?" I asked again, just to be sure. "Really? I've always been told that my strawberry shampoo-"

"I like peach," Paul stated firmly at first, but then added quietly, "It smells good on you."

"Okay," I conceded. "I'll wash my hair with peach. That's what you like."

For a moment, it seemed as if Paul was satisfied; the tension from his body was gone and our web of tangled arms and legs became one continuous array of winding roads and turns that we each had to take, but we could bear it because we had each other. Not an inch of my skin was cold, but I felt exposed. More exposed than I had ever been with anyone, and Paul had been the one to make me feel that way. I wanted his touch to linger even if he had gone away. Five feet or five hundred miles, I wanted to feel where he was. My need for him had changed so suddenly, and all because I had looked into his eyes, felt his stare, and beheld him with my arms. I was almost sure that Paul was feeling the same way about me as I became aware of just how long we had been standing together, holding each other in the driveway. And then Paul's face became a sudden mask of stone.

"Good." Paul's voice was stern and harsh, but he seemed abruptly uncomfortable.

I was not sure why admitting that he liked something on me made him feel that way, but I decided to drop it, taking pity on him. I guess Paul was not big nor comfortable with confessions. "Maybe after I fix you something, I'll take a nap," I said dreamily. I knew that that would happen; however, I still yawned at the perfect time. "Since it's not me that keeps you up, has your sleep gotten any better?" I asked, trying to stifle the next yawn. "Be truthful. No jokes about the vampire who wants to kill me."

"Not really," he responded.

My face turned into a tired smile. "I keep asking if you want me to make up Charlie's bed. Anything else I can do?" I offered.

"Stop asking me that."

I blinked, now fully awake. "Why can't I ask you that?"

Paul gave a small grunt. "It gives me ideas...," he trailed off, leaving it open to my own interpretations.

"Oh, sorry," I said, relieved. "That's very nice of you, by the way. You're concerned about how you appear to me."

He slapped his head with one hand, still holding onto me loosely with his other arm. "Shit, Swan, you're right. I must be losing it." Paul shook his head methodically. "I haven't gotten laid since I've been in this house, and I think it's starting to affect my brain."

"Well, don't start humping my leg," I joked.

Paul grinned back. "I promise nothing until I eat."

"Okay, okay, I'll fix you something," I said, laughing.

He followed behind me into the house. I dropped my book on the dining table as I went to the sink, opening cupboards for the buns, and then the fridge for the frozen patties. The phone rang and I walked across the kitchen to pick it up, Paul watching me.

"I bet it's more noisy people," he commented.

Paul might have been right; even after more than a week since Charlie's funeral, I was still getting thoughtful phone calls and cards from well-wishers in Forks. It would have been touching except that I hated being the center of attention; the more people that were watching me in Forks, the more likely they were to discover that something was 'off' in my house. By 'off,' I meant huge Quileute werewolf living in my house. I had been dodging Mike and his questions about everyone in the group hanging out after school, but I knew that I couldn't keep that up. It was times like these that I wished I had caller ID.

It was also annoying to have people at school, in town, and even the pack with all eyes on me. I felt helpless. It wasn't right for me to monopolize so many people's times, but I just didn't know how I could stop getting into trouble—or at least stop trouble from finding me.

I nodded and took the phone off the cradle. "Hello?" I listened on the other end before responding any further. "Oh, hi, Mrs. Crawford." Paul was right again. I began talking on the phone with my neighbor from down the road, Mrs. Crawford. She wanted to know if she could bring me anything for dinner or have me over at her house. She had liked Charlie a lot and sometimes gave him bottled peach preserves. She didn't know that Charlie really hadn't eaten much fruit. After a few minutes, Paul was visibly getting more annoyed that he was no longer my main focal point.

"You're doing it wrong again. You should have been off the phone by now," Paul said none-too-quietly, stepping closer to me. I quickly covered the receiver to try and block him out while taking several small steps back. "Let me get her off the phone," Paul continued to hum in my hair, my body temperature hitting the roof. _Does he have this effect on all women?_

I turned away from him, glaring. _Well, maybe not me_. I sighed. He was being rude again. "No thank you, again, Mrs. Crawford," I repeated over the phone. "I'll be just fine on my own. There's plenty of food." Or what was left of it. Paul seemed to eat half of the refrigerator each day. If it weren't for the pack's combined efforts of helping with food, I didn't think that I could keep feeding him.

"Well, if you're sure, dear."

"You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Crawford. I have to go now. Thanks again for calling. Goodbye." I hung up the phone before she could say anything else, relaxing because the conversation ended; she was starting to sound way too much like my mother.

Paul pushed his head into my back; it was his way of getting me to pay attention him. I swear that he was starting to turn into his wolf _without_ the need for phasing. "Stop it," I tried to say sternly, but faltered on the last word. "I told you about being so rude. What's wrong with you?" I asked, turning toward him with my arms beginning to cross in annoyance, setting the phone down on the counter.

"You would've been off the phone sooner if you were meaner," he groaned, pouting. "That's why people from town keep calling here."

"Let me fix this for you and then you'll be so preoccupied with eating that you won't have time to add your two cents about who calls _my_ phone."

"But I'm bored again," Paul whined.

I looked at him doubtfully. "You want to go out? You need someone from the pack to relieve you?"

"No."

"Want to watch more TV?" I asked. "Maybe something else is on now."

He shook his head.

"Computer?"

"Takes too damn long to boot up."

I tapped him lightly on the arm. "Well, I'll start the computer up now and when I finish the burgers, you'll eat, and then be ready to go online." I started moving in the kitchen again after I replaced the phone. I then noticed that Paul was following every move I made, from wiping off the counter to setting up the kitchen's small dinner table. "What?" I asked, turning to him. "Why are you mimicking me?"

"It's entertaining for right now."

I pointed into the living room. "TV."

"Na-ah."

"Go sit," I said, my face breaking into a grin.

Paul bumped me with his head again, behaving like a bull. I started to giggle uncontrollably.

"Entertain me, Swan, or I'm going to get you in trouble."

"What, are you going to get into the stored, dry goods and make a mess?" I asked. Paul nodded, making me laugh. "Want to go for a drive? I'll roll down the window so can you stick your head out." His head pushed into my neck and I could swear I heard him inhale sharply. I continued with my chuckling, trying to block out the intimate details I was beginning to think of acting on. The way his fingers explored my body without invitation, but his touch was not unwanted. Paul could have easily overpowered me in every way, but he didn't. He should have forced himself on me by now, but he hadn't. _Oh gosh, did I want him to?_ I asked myself as Paul started to twirl me around the kitchen, making my equilibrium shift. I was dizzy with laughter, my stomach in knots, and my legs were jelly. Paul became the energy behind my movements and all I could think of to do was just internally beg not to ruin it.

He pulled my hoodie, drawing me close to him again, his eyes and smile bright. "Swan," he whispered. I could smell the maple on his body again, and it was more than intoxicating; it was just on the brink of heaven.

It was then I noticed that he had one hand behind his back. The look on his face turned devious and my eyes searched his. "What's behind you, Paul?"

"This," he responded. My hands went up to shield my body just as Paul squeezed the trigger to the sink's water hose, spraying water at me.

I yelped and drew back, but Paul grabbed me, spraying a decent amount of my hoodie, my jeans, and wetting the floor. "Paul!" I sputtered as water splashed me. He stopped. I looked at him in anger for a moment before he thrusted his 'weapon' into my sopping wet hands.

"I did you, now you do me," he said.

I glanced down at the hose for a second before I turned it and sprayed him. I laughed as his face scrunched up at the cold blast, his palms blocking a little more of the water than my hands had done. I blasted him a few more times, twice in the face for good measure, and then allowed the hose to drip onto the floor. I was soaked, my clothes clinging to me. I felt stiff and my skin was already starting to chafe under the rapidly dampening fabric of my jeans and hoodie, my tee underneath already a part of my skin.

Paul 'tsked-tsked' and smiled proudly. "This _friend_ got you wet."

I tried to hold in a joined chuckle. "Can the _friend_ hand me a towel, please?"

He handed me a towel hanging from the door knob. I started to take it from him when he began rubbing my damp arms with the towel and his hands. His heat penetrated to my bones, completely bypassing my clothing and skin altogether. Paul rubbed the outside of my hands with his palms, making a small cup that he started to huff and puff into. The warm breaths felt almost as good as his skin against me felt. Almost.

"You—you don't have to keep doing this," I said, trying to fight back the tiny shivers that had nothing to do with the cold. "Should I towel you off next?" I joked.

"I'm dry already," he said.

"Dry?" I put a hand on his arm and sure enough, he was already dry. His whole body was a continuation of how my bones felt under his touch. _Darn werewolves_. I allowed myself to linger on his arms as he continued to softly blow on the fingers of my clammy left, still enveloped in his massive hands. Goosebumps were on my skin. He moved over my left wrist, gently thumbing it. My face turned into a beet. "See, I told you that you were nice," I said quietly.

Paul's face fell a little and his hand dropped to my waist.

Suddenly the phone rang again, startling me and annoying Paul. "Who the fuck is it now?" Paul roared. He took one glance at the phone, got an irritated look across his face, and reached for it. Before I could stop him, he answered it. "Hello?" he bellowed into the receiver. I tried to grab the phone away from him, but he held me back with one arm easily. "She's busy. Stop calling here and spreading gossip to all your friends. Get a life!" Paul yelled, and then slammed the phone down. "That's how you do it, Swan," he declared afterwards.

"Paul, who was that?"

"Some shit from school, I think. He sounded like a bitch when I answered the phone."

I pushed him in anger. Who did he think was to answer my phone like that? I was about to push him again when the phone rang. When Paul reached to answer it, I gave him a nasty look and grabbed the phone from out his hand. He let me this time.

"Hello?" I asked frantically.

"Bella? Bella, its Mike. Who was that that answered the phone before?" a male, but shaky voice answered back.

"He's just a friend helping out, Mike." I sighed and shooed Paul away. Paul made some small noise and inserted me into his open legs, moved his head into my neck, and wrapped his arms loosely around me. It helped to soothe my anger toward him in seconds, drowning out bits and pieces of my conversation with Mike.

"Well, he sounded mean. He didn't have to hang up on me," Mike whined. "Is he staying with you?"

My senses became alert. "Huh?"

"The guy who hung up on me," Mike said again. "Is he staying with you?"

My eyes widened. "No, he lives on the rez," I stated quickly.

"Oh, is it that kid that came with us to the movies? You know, the over eager one?"

"No, Mike." My mind raced with a good description of Paul, but none came to me. At least not one I felt comfortable admitting to Mike. "This is a different friend," I wound up saying.

"Oh, okay that's cool." Mike sounded calmer. "Well, will the different friend let you hang out with us this weekend?"

I shook my head, feeling Paul's soft hair underneath my jaw. Paul continued to stay silent. "No," I answered. "I mean, he would. Paul would, but I don't feel quite up to it yet."

"But, Bella, you've been in that house for awhile. In fact, no one ever sees you unless you're at school or at the supermarket, and then you're always with one of those rez kids. What's up?" Mike commented. "We Forks high school Spartans aren't good enough for you that you have to hang out with them all the time? And hell, man, those guys are huge. Do they take steroids or something?"

Paul trembled, making my voice quake with him. "N-no. No steroids; they're all natural. It's in their genes, I think." _Literally_, I silently added.

"Well, that's just too damn big in my opinion. So anyway, what about this weekend then, Bella?"

"Mike, seriously, I'm not up for it," I insisted.

"Well, what's going on with tonight?"

"Uh, homework," I shrugged, shaking Paul a little looser.

"For Literature? You still haven't done that? Great; we'll all come by, do some homework, and watch a movie after. It's only five."

"Well, I—I have Paul here and—"

"Well, maybe he'll learn something too," Mike replied easily, sounding proud. "I doubt that the rez school has the same curriculum as we do. What do you say, Bella?"

Giving up and trying to keep my tone leveled from a still shaking Paul, I answered, "Yeah, okay. Come on over, but I'll be in my pajamas by then." I fingered my still slightly damp hoodie.

"With that guy there? Really?"

"He's harmless; besides, they'll be thermal."

"Okay," Mike whistled. "See you in a bit." And he hung up.

I looked at Paul, whose eyes were on me as I withdrew from his arms. "If you don't want to be here when they come over—"

"I'm not leaving you here with that kid," Paul interrupted. "He's just as bad as the leeches."

"He can't be any worse than you," I joked. "You can't keep your hands to yourself either."

Paul blinked, looking hurt. "Whatever. Play with your _friends_," he sneered.

"Could you please behave when they're here?"

"Stop treating me like a dog," he snapped.

Immediately, I felt the mood in the room change. "I'm sorry I got mad at you," I apologized. "Do you still want me to fix you something?"

"No."

"No, what?" I prompted, knowing it was pointless.

"No," he repeated, more harshly.

We still had to work on Paul's manners.

* * *

Paul's eyes stayed dark, the shade of uprooted dirt next to a spir tree, as I placed a balmy hand on the front door to turn it, letting in Mike and the rest of my schoolmates. I almost lost my lunch when I saw Mike's red and black pirate lounge pajamas, but his friendly smile destroyed the urge. I didn't want to make my guests feel bad, even if I hadn't formally invited them over; however, a few people of the entourage were a pleasant addition.

Mike brought over Angela, Ben, Lauren, Jessica, and Tyler. Eric couldn't make it on such short notice, but I was secretly relieved; I didn't think the house could take any more people at one time. Everyone else was in pajamas, in attempt to make it seem like we were having a big slumber party at my house. Lauren and Jessica wore matching white camisoles, black boy shorts, and a semi-short robe, navy blue and ash gray respectively. Both of their sea-blue eyes darted across the room, instantly landing on Paul. Their coy smiles warranted a tiny twitch in Paul's ruddy face and my annoyance spiked a little, the heat of my blood rising to my skin to combat the green envy.

Angela sighed, lightly touching my thermal covered sleeve, and lead me toward the middle of the living room. She was wearing leggings and a long, thin, black t-shirt (probably Ben's), which she hoisted up a little as she placed her overflowing school bag on the floor. I guess everyone had made her the mule. She gave me a bright, but tired grin as she pulled me to the floor to sit with her. Mike and Ben did not wait for Lauren and Jessica to stop ogling Paul and started to move the coffee table closer to the TV so that we would be able to spread out and do homework.

"Hi," Lauren said to Paul.

I turned in curiosity to see what Paul's response would be, though I wasn't sure why, and saw Tyler quickly roll his eyes and move next to Ben, plopping himself down loudly onto the hardwood. Paul's nostrils flared in Lauren's direction, almost like he was annoyed, before he just looked away. He ended up not answering Lauren, but backed up slightly toward the banister and sat on the stairs, watching all of us with a less than cordial stare. I had to fight back a small, smug smile even though I wasn't normally vindictive; Lauren just had it coming to her. Or maybe I was just glad that Paul didn't want to run after every girl in sight.

Lauren, however, looked flustered at Paul's noncompliance. "What's his problem?" she huffed to the rest of us in something a bit higher than a whispered tone. "Doesn't he like girls? Jackie sure got a handful."

I shrugged and my imprisoned grin almost broke free. The rest of my classmates almost appeared to lose interest in my additional house-guest when Paul suddenly rolled up his short-sleeved, burgundy t-shirt, displaying his huge, muscular arms. I think I even heard Angela make a noise beside me.

"Wow," Jessica muttered. "I really, really want to transfer to that school on the reservation."

Lauren shook her head, suddenly becoming more courageous. "I really, really want to see the rest of what's underneath that shirt."

"It's not a big deal," I spilled out. I distinctively heard the room go utterly silent, out of shock; I knew the room was deathly quiet because I heard Paul snort loudly as if he disagreed with me. My face immediately blushed, but I wasn't positive if it was because of the envious looks that I was getting from Lauren and Jessica or because I had just told an outright lie; I knew the Greek goddess, Artemis, would set the moon low from the sky just to shine it toward Paul, to marvel at his procured muscles. _Jeez, Bella, quite reading so many school books_, I scolded myself. _Maybe Paul was right; I did read a bit much_.

Ben gave a low, uncomfortable laugh before saying, "Let's get to this homework then, shall we guys?"

Mike agreed, moving first, giving Paul a small nod of acknowledgment, and then separated from Ben's side. He walked over and stood next to me while Ben sat next to Angela on the floor. I groaned, still flustered, and slumped against the couch, already wishing this ordeal to be over; the night was not going well so far.

Lauren, Mike, and Ben started talking amongst themselves, leading the chat, and discussing what each person in our group would look for in the Lit assignment. Angela and I watched them give orders, and glanced at each other to communicate without speaking. She suddenly made a choking/gag face and the redness in my cheeks began to dissipate when Jessica suddenly addressed me.

"That is the same kid from the boat show, right?" Jessica whispered. _How many guys do they think I know?_

"Uh huh, that's Paul," I answered instead and without lowering my voice, knowing full well that Paul would hear us no matter what.

"He looks cuter up close. Even in the absence of a girl's hand down his pants," Lauren said, another giggle following. I still wasn't completely sure why Lauren was even here. We had never gotten along. My guess was that she had heard through the grapevine that Paul was here and made up an excuse to come over to the house. "Is he staying here?" Lauren asked.

"How long?" Jessica supplied, not wanting to feel left out of my inquisition for too long.

"He doesn't stay here," I clarified quickly. "Believe it or not, he's pretty easy to talk to." _When he's not saying something nasty_, I said to myself. "It helps having him around."

"We'd be around more for you, if you'd let us," Mike suddenly said, putting an arm around my shoulder.

I forced a smile and pulled back slowly, so not to draw any more attention to my unwanted popularity. "Thanks, Mike."

"Well of course, Bella," Lauren added. "You're our friend too. Why should only the rez kids have all the fun? Then again," Lauren's grin turned evil as she continued, "I'd love to spend my time with them, too, if they all look like him."

"Yeah, me, too," Jessica quipped in.

Angela abruptly bumped me with her shoulder. My pen almost flew out of my hand. "How is everything else?" She asked. "How have you been, you know, without your dad?"

I knew that question would be raised sooner or later. "It's been tough, but all is pretty quiet. Very quiet." That much was true. The pack still hadn't picked up a scent, but Sam was insistent that someone be here with me at all times.

"That's good. You need the quiet," Angela said softly. "Stuff like that never happened in Forks before." Her fingers drummed the open notebook she was holding, but she seemed unaware of what her body doing; her face was the picture of comfort for a woman-a mother, even-in her thirties and forties, but not in her teens. It might have been from dealing with her younger, twin siblings. Or Emily was not the only kindly and kindred spirit in Forks. I tried to keep my emotions masked, the effort stinging my face and heart a little.

"Yeah, weird stuff started happening when you moved here," Lauren cut in through my emotional roller-coaster.

"No, good things happened when she moved here," Mike defended. "Right, Bella?"

"Yeah, sure," I replied back, not knowing what else to say. Mike seemed satisfied and buried his head back into his homework. I wiped at my face, in case any evidence was showing from my almost-breakdown some seconds ago.

It was rough pretending that I didn't already do the homework; I was a terrible liar. When we were finally finished, we all closed our books, packed them back into Angela's large bag, and positioned ourselves in front of the TV to watch a movie. Jessica had brought over a "gem" from what she called her extensive video library. That was exactly how she put it. She selected Kill Bill, Volume 1; a story of a female assassin who sought revenge against those who tried to have her killed. I had never heard of it.

Lauren tossed her shoulder length hair back and looked at Paul again. "Want to watch this with us?" Lauren asked. "You've been pretty somber."

"Depends," Paul answered easily. "Will she let me talk now?"

I turned red, embarrassed that the others would think that Paul couldn't converse without my permission. "I never said you couldn't talk, Paul."

"Might as well have."

"Well, you can talk. I give you permission to speak," I said, throwing in a dog command to see if he would smile. He didn't.

"I'm sitting next to you," Paul demanded immediately.

I hated to admit that a small surge of pride went through me when Paul declared his request so openly, but it was quickly dashed when I remembered that we were not alone in the room. Five pairs of my classmates eyes jumped over to me in astonishment, while one set narrowed with determination.

"Well, I get the other side of you then," Mike spoke up. His slouching body immediately turned rigid and his expression was tense, but Paul's dark eyes and scowl were far more intimidating. And more for me to worry about.

I widened my eyes and looked at both of them. This was not going to end well. "How about you split me for half the movie? I don't think all three of us can fit on the couch."

"Well, I'm not freakishly huge," Mike spat, attempting to get to his feet quickly.

"Forgive me if we can't all be meager and weak. Blame it on Darwin and his theory of natural selection," Paul bit back, his deep voice dropping into that of a growl by his second sentence.

When Mike didn't say anything for a few moments, I rose to meet Paul's glare. "Paul, enough. Do we have a deal or not?" I put my hands on my hips. "You guys need to work this out because I'm Team Switzerland!" I announced.

Mike's expression turned confused. "Team what?"

I shook my head. "Look, the bottom line is this: if sharing me for the movie doesn't meet either of your approvals, then I'll sit with Ben and Angela for the _whole_ movie. How about that?" I challenged.

Ben laughed and stood next to me, pulling my arm playfully, and brought me closer to his side. "I don't mind being stuck in the middle of you and Ang," Ben gloated.

"And I wouldn't mind being next to you, Paul," Lauren said boldly. My fingers dug in my palms, my mind alerting to the pain in my hands rather than the stab of annoyance I felt for Lauren's obvious and continued interest in Paul. _Why couldn't she let up and leave him alone?_ I took a deep low breath and took it as a sign that lack of sleep was the reason behind my growing temper, and had nothing to do with my feelings for Paul. He was a friend, afterall.

"I would also love to sit with you," Jessica added, stepping closer to our circular face-off.

"Shit, you two are popular," Tyler commented as he pointed to me and Paul.

I ignored Tyler's remark and pressed, "Is it a deal then, guys? Mike? Paul?"

Paul shrugged and Mike nodded in agreement. Paul sat on the floor in front of the couch, and Lauren grabbed a pillow to sit on next to him. Jessica went on his other side. Angela and Ben cuddled in Charlie's old reclining chair that he only used to watch sports games. Tyler sat close to them in a small wooden chair, and Mike plopped down next to me, immediately putting his arm behind me on the couch. As long as he didn't actually touch me, we were fine.

I was able to pay attention to the first ten minutes of the movie (cringing at the amount of blood loss) and then was lost thereafter. Lauren and Jessica soon started to giggle, whispering in Paul's ears about things I couldn't hear though I found myself straining a little bit to. I sat on my fingers, and breathed deeply again. To keep my eyes off of the proximity of Lauren and Jessica's closeness to Paul, I concentrated on the gory action film once more, but it did not help that I could hear Paul's deep, throaty comments to my two other classmates.

"Ladies, no fair," Paul whispered flirtatiously, finally loud enough for me to hear, as Lauren and Jessica both took turns touching his stretched out forearms. "You two can touch me, but I'm not allowed to touch you."

"Any particular reason?" Jessica murmured back. _Why could I hear them so well now? _I cried inside, angry at myself. I changed my mind; it was better for me not to know what they discussed amongst themselves.

"I'm not allowed to play," Paul complained.

I turned my head at his insinuation, tongue in cheek. "I don't _own_ you, Paul. You can do what you want."

"In that case, take off your shirt, Lauren," Paul said abruptly.

"Paul, no!" I exclaimed. I swear I could hear the blood in my right temple running a marathon.

"She wasn't going to do it anyway," Tyler said, crossing his legs in the chair.

"Maybe I wouldn't do it for you, but Paul is different," Lauren said nastily.

"Ouch, sorry there, T." Paul laughed.

"It's Tyler," Tyler snapped.

Paul turned his sights to him, his hulking body facing the built, but lean silhouette of Tyler. "That's boring."

Tyler looked uncomfortable, but met the challenge and insisted, "That's my name."

Paul's tongue _clucked_ in his mouth and he leaned back, his hands propping him up on the floor. His feet were evenly spaced as his legs were slightly apart. If he wanted to, he could jump and land on his feet at any second, as a man _or_ as his wolf. That fact was not lost on me as Paul's grin grew, a damnable shadow casting over his face and smile. He looked positively malevolent. "Then I'd slap your mother and then I'd slap you; try me," he dared.

"Paul," I cautioned again, seemingly for the hundredth time.

Paul turned fully to the sound of my voice, the determination for a fight falling off his face in an instant. "Is it my turn yet?" He asked, his attention successfully diverted.

"Your turn?"

"I want to sit with you now," he demanded.

"It's only been like twenty minutes," Mike protested at the same instant my heart jumped. Why was it doing this? How could I even want to reward Paul's awful behavior with something that he wanted?

I started to say something to that effect when Paul quickly made it to his feet. "Too bad, marshmallow. This movie bites." Paul moved closer to the couch, much to the dismay of Lauren and Jessica, and stood next to us. Mike stayed sitting by me and gave Paul a defying look, but Paul was not impressed nor interested. "Move over before I have to pick you up," he threatened.

"No way," Mike said angrily. His arm moved away from my body, relief flowing through my body. Then again, Paul might have attempted to tear his arm off if he hadn't. "The three of us will never fit," Mike complained.

Paul loomed closer, his face just inches into Mike's 'personal space.' His hand was gripping the arm on the sofa as he said plainly, "Then I guess someone will just have to give up their seat."

"Who do you think you are, ordering me around?" Mike questioned.

"It's either that or I beat you down; your choice," Paul offered.

I stood up and faced Paul. I couldn't take it anymore; between my emotions and his temper, everything had me wheeling around in confusion, and it could only mean disastrous things. "Paul, relax, okay?" I asked, worriedly glancing at the other faces on us. My heart sped up, hurting. "I'll sit on the floor and you can lie on the couch."

"No."

"Paul, for goodness sake, please," I begged again. My throat was dry as the adrenaline waned under my growing ache to satisfy both my guests. But Paul could not keep this up. "Don't act like this," I whispered, hoping that he would be the only one to hear me clearly. "You promised. As my friend, you promised."

He was quiet, long enough for my chest and breath to resume it's usual pace. "He's touching you," Paul accused.

Mike blinked. "So what? Who are you, her boyfriend?"

"No," I said quickly. "No, he's not. He's just…protective," I finished lamely. _Please, just stop it, Paul._

"So what if I'm touching her?" Mike continued. "I just put my arm behind her. No big deal."

Paul flinched, the room instantly starting to spin for me; the heat from his body had come so quickly that I had a wave of dizziness hit without warning. My feet stayed in place only because my body was on auto-pilot and a pull helped me refocus on Paul's very angry glare on Mike. "I don't like it," he declared simply.

"What is it with you rez kids anyway?" Mike sputtered. "Do you go around looking for fights?"

"You don't want to fight me. I'd tear you apart. Put you to sleep in your pirate pajamas permanently," Paul snarled. Mike leaned further into the couch's seat, now looking quite timid as Paul peered down at him.

"Ooh, that sounds dark," Lauren commented from behind Paul.

"Paul, you need to stop," I said, putting my hand gently on his arm. His skin was ablaze, bringing forth more sweat. I felt drained, Paul's attitude taking me for too many rides on such a short day. "Mike, please just move over," I appeased. "Let him sit with us."

Mike grumbled, but did as I asked. Paul almost plunged down into the open space, leaving very little room for me. Small bodied or not, a six-month old baby would have been too big to fit in between them. I sat in the middle of them anyway, and tried to pay attention to the movie again, but started to worry about being crushed.

Mike began to relax a bit more when Paul said nothing else for awhile and started trying to explain the movie to me. I was intently listening when Mike's arm suddenly fell on my shoulder. I tensed, hoping that he would withdraw it at some point, but Mike continued to talk as if his arm didn't happen to just 'fall' onto me. I even pushed my hair back to try and cover my shoulders a bit more so that Paul might not notice.

But Mike's confidence grew more daring along with his actions; he squeezed my arm. I shook my head, ready to tell him to back off when I suddenly heard a grunt and felt a hard tug. Paul had grabbed me, pulling me toward him, and then put his head in my lap.

Paul's legs hung off the arm of the couch and his feet scraped softly back and forth across the floor. Mike widened his eyes with disgust and I myself was in complete shock.

"Paul, stop. What are you doing?" I asked. I tapped one of his arms as he had wrapped them around me.

"I told you this movie sucked," he responded into my upper thighs. "I'm going to sleep."

"In my lap, Paul?"

"Closest thing I have to a pillow. Look, it'll keep me quiet." And with that, Paul buried his face into my stomach and wouldn't budge again.

I shrugged in defeat and Mike didn't touch me for the rest of the night. He even moved to the floor so that I could have more room under Paul's weight. I was seriously going to have to speak with Paul about his manners when other people came over to visit...even if it wouldn't do much good.

When the movie was over, I still couldn't get Paul to move. Lauren and Jessica sighed with another jealous look over their faces and Angela grinned, hugging Ben closer to her.

"You have to admit, he looks cute asleep," Jessica said.

"Yeah, adorable," I stated sarcastically, even if I had once held the thought of Paul being cute as he slumbered before. "This boy is going to be in so much trouble when you guys leave."

"When is _he_ leaving?" Mike asked, his lips as tight as the hands balled up at his sides. He hadn't followed Tyler, Ben, and Angela closer to the door and looked as if he really would meet Paul on his earlier challenge to fight him.

I shifted under Paul's heavy build and Mike's scrutiny. I did want Paul off of me, but it was also what kept Mike so far away from me too. At least, I think I wanted Paul off of me. "When I wake him up and get him off me, he'll be leaving," I admitted out loud, glancing around the room at nothing in particular.

Mike nodded and put a hand on Paul's shoulder. "Jeez, this kid is scorching hot. How are you sitting there not drenched?" Mike began tugging harder on his arm, grunting a bit.

I shrugged again. I honestly didn't know how, but having Paul so close to me felt comforting. The muscles in my neck lost tension and my minor annoyance of Paul's antics fell to the back of my mind. The sudden loss of a stressful evening even had me thinking that I really might have been okay with this situation, Paul's arms around me. It does not feel bad at all. Just for a night, let me be reminded that I had someone, that I was not alone. Let me forget my first love was a vampire, and that my father was killed by an enemy of the tribe. For once, I could be held, because Edward rarely hugged me and Charlie had done so even less. But here was Paul, holding me and it felt too much like he was supposed to. _So then let him_, a part of me cried. _No_, I shook my head to reaffirm my anger, _he shouldn't be_.

Mike continued to pull on Paul's body and Paul's hand suddenly palmed Mike's lower abdomen, pushing him several feet across the room with his eyes still closed. Mike crashed into a few hanging photos on the wall, two dropping to the hard floor.

I shrieked, horrified. "Paul!" He grumbled inaudibly after my outburst and pushed his head deeper into me, his head still not moving from my lap. I cringed when I saw Mike turn in circles a few times in embarrassment for not being graceful about his fall, and fixed his shirt. "Guys, don't worry about it. I'll get him up. You go ahead and thanks for coming over," I urged.

"Yeah, no problem. Some guys just get all the luck," Mike said quietly. Ben was chuckling and pulled Angela along and Tyler said nothing, but nodded toward me and left. Jessica and Lauren waved.

"When he wakes up, could you give him my number, Bella?" Lauren asked, pushing a piece of paper into my hand.

"Yeah," I said, still not forgetting what I thought about her and Paul together. "He'll get it alright," I said instead.

"Thanks." Lauren beamed. "Bye."

"See you at school tomorrow. We'll lock up," Angela called over her shoulder.

I heard the door close and stared at the side of Paul's head. "I know you're not asleep. You better get up." Paul didn't move and still didn't say anything. "Paul, I am so warning you," I started to threaten.

Paul suddenly yawned and tightened his hold around my waist, lifting the rear of my thermal shirt. His fingertips raced along my backside for a moment before he gently rested his hand low on the small of my back, the tail of my backbone tingling under the skin. "Five more minutes," he muttered.

His breathing got deeper and my heart softened; he was breathtakingly beautiful when he slept. That image of streaks in his hair from when he had played in the dirt that afternoon last week had never gone away, and his smooth skin was glowing under mine, radiating a comfortable heat that my body was starting to mimic the longer he laid asleep in my lap. He turned his neck a little toward me and I couldn't help but smile, in spite of myself.

"Just a few minutes then," I relented.

Paul's eyes started to move, and it was several seconds before I realized that he had just went into deep REM sleep and I sighed, knowing that I would never be able to wake him. I shifted again smoothly, so as not to disturb him, and got more comfortable under his body. With nowhere to else to lay my hand in the tangle of limbs, I gently rested it on his face..

Paul muttered something into my fingers; I could feel his breath brush them with his warmth and I bit back a tickled laugh. "What? What is it, Paul?" I asked, trying to put my ear closer to his mouth.

I should have stayed where I was.

I should not have eavesdropped into his dreams; they were a private affair that I had no business being in, but I had to know. My curious and innate nature to see and know about everything that surrounded me did not stop with Paul, and it felt too much like something that I needed to know.

So I pushed my head to his lips. I even held my breath so I could catch the single word he finally murmured in his sleep. I heard it even though I had never heard of the word before.

"ChidlɁi," he said.

"Huh?"

Paul didn't repeat it again, but I wasn't entirely sure I had heard him correctly anyway. I fell under a spell, wondering why his word had suddenly put me so much at ease.

At least until I fell into a dreamless, warm sleep on the couch.

* * *

***A/N: You will find out what the word means in the next chapter. I worked it in so that it gets explained by the characters themselves; it works out better than me just telling you what the term means, so don't be mad. I hope the next chapter won't have nearly as many rewrites as this one did. :-D**

**Also, FFnet screwed up the accents of the term a little. That is not actually how it is supposed to look, but just try to use you imagination. Bad, bad FFnet! LOL  
**


	10. Creep

***A/N: Forgive my tardiness. I lost a family friend due to death and then I lost my best friend soon after. There was simply no joy in breathing for awhile; air singeing my lungs every time I took a breath without my best friend. It burned so much I didn't even _want_ to look at my writing.**

**I know I'm being dramatic, but when you have been best friends with someone since junior high and inseparable til now, you are allowed to be theatrical. **

**Anyways, this story is rated MA for a reason. So I'd like to continue with this story despite the long absence, even though people may not like it, regardless of what tomorrow might bring for me while in my travels between two jobs, school, and reckless driving to parties, concerts, and gigs to forget him.**

**Thanks for those of you who sent well-wishes, and continued to read & review while I took a step back. I sincerely hope you enjoy this long over-due chapter. **

**So to my best friend, my freak, to my Hellboy, my creep, this is for you.**

* * *

**Chapter Summary****:** Bella reacts badly, at first, to the news of Paul not being fully honest with her the night before, and learns the hard way that old wounds do eventually heal. Paul becomes fed up with keeping his anger in check while living in the house, but Bella surprises him with a bold move of her own, and out of tragedy, something better emerges.

**Chapter IX: 'Creep,' by Radiohead**

**PPOV**

My cock woke me up the following morning; it was as simple as that.

The rush of blood to its head had it pulsating so hard that when it bumped my inner thigh, I almost wrenched myself out of Bella's hold for fear that someone else had touched me.

_Bella_.

I forced my eyes open, wiping away the sleep that had almost nailed them shut, but I did not remove my arms from around her waist. I inhaled air, taking a part of her scent with it. I tried to think of the sweetest thing I'd ever smelled in the morning and fell short. Nothing could take the place of her. I wished that my fingers could be a part of her skin so that I wouldn't ever have to let her go.

With that thought, _it_ throbbed again, thumping itself against the harsh material of my jeans from the night before, still waiting for me to either let it out to breathe or to relieve. I wasn't sure just yet on which I would allow myself to do. But I did know one thing.

I had gotten to hold Bella last night.

I sighed, feeling deeply indebted to her kind soul for letting me even touch her. Of course, all along my plan had been to keep her in my arms, but when Newton wouldn't move, I had to take action. I had to let 'the marshmallow' know that I was the one who was supposed to hold Bella that night, and if he thought that he was going to get any further with her than he had, I was going to phase in the living room. If he had succeeded in stopping me from holding her, I was going to rip him apart because that had been my only intention. All I wanted to do was hold her, nothing more.

_Well…maybe more._

What more could I have done? For over a week I had been sleeping restlessly and last night was the only time I had felt peace. Bella was not safe unless she was in my arms; that much I had felt. That much, I had known.

I heard Bella moan, grabbing my attention. "Paul? Paul, you are in such big trouble," she announced in a sleepy voice.

I grinned. I had heard everything she said last night. Well, everything until I had fallen asleep for real. At least she hadn't kicked me off the couch.

"God, you're hot. Let me go," Bella continued, her eyes half closed. She turned herself away a little but I kept my body over her, wanting the moment to last a little longer. I gently nudged her with my chin. "You're horrible. Go away," she muttered, playfully reaching back to swat me with her hand. I stared at her lips and advanced closer to her somewhat sleeping form, more than tempted to feel her mouth on me just once before she awoke for good and tore into me for behaving so poorly last night. I still wouldn't have changed a thing that I did even though I had upset her; she belonged with me.

Suddenly my nose twitched, picking up a scent that I knew too well. _Fuckin' figures_. My back tensed with a horrible but welcoming sensation down to the tip of my spine, readying my body to phase if _he_ moved another inch or said one word that I didn't like. A deep and steady growl emerged from my tightly pursed mouth, waking Bella fully.

"Paul, what's the matter?" She rubbed her eyes and looked at me, but now I was focused on the huge figure standing in the front doorway. Another pair of eyes stared back at me, narrowed and angry, and he was just as pissed as I was; I could feel it. One clear bead hung from Jacob's chin and I promised myself that before that small bit of sweat would hit the living room's hardwood floor, I would phase and pulverize Jacob into the next room.

Bella turned her head a little and relaxed, almost. "Jacob, what's wrong? Why are you standing like that?"

Jacob's arms were at his sides and his jaw was rigid, making all the muscles of his face age him at least ten years, but if he made a move, I would make sure that he wouldn't live another ten minutes.

I spoke first. "You need to take it easy, little prince."

Jacob still hadn't moved, but still I kept one of my arms over Bella's body. I would never have phased so close to her. My plan was to flip the couch, forcing her to move to the other side of the living room while I took care of Jacob.

"What were you doing with your arms around Bella?" Jacob demanded.

So that was his problem. He didn't like me touching Bella. Well that was too bad; _she was mine_.

Bella shook her head, suddenly realizing what Jacob may have been implicating. "We were sleeping. That's all," she assured him.

My ears picked up on the rhythm of her semi-calm heartbeat, and I allowed my fingers to relax a bit. If she wasn't worried, then neither was I.

The Prince squinted his eyes at me. I almost laughed at the pup trying to look fierce. "He wasn't sleeping," Jacob insisted.

"I just woke up," I tried replying back as nonchalantly as I could, but in truth, my heart was racing and my breath was a ragged rant. Jacob's jaw set into a firm line as Bella continued to be oblivious to the situation.

"He fell asleep during a movie last night and I just fell asleep with him. Nothing happened." She moved a little and I blocked her with my body. Jacob's eyes widened again before he shouldered his weight to his left. His heel arched up and as a reflex, I stepped closer not wanting to back down from a fight; normally, if I could push back an opponent and distract him for a second, then that moment would be all I needed to phase. Or at least swipe at him with my paw.

Jacob saw me draw closer, but upon realizing the close proximity of Bella and myself, met my rigid stance with crossed arms and threw in a glare, for kicks I surmised. I, however, almost wet myself to keep from laughing.

"Ooohh," I said in ridicule, "He's standing like Sam. I'd better watch out."

Bella turned to me and put her hand on my neck. My anger diminished at almost the exact instant her slightly cool fingertips made contact with my searing flesh. "Paul, let me up," she requested.

I kept my feelings at bay, having to work past my wanting to keep her close by. She got up and walked over to Jacob, much to my internal dismay, who grabbed her lightly by the wrist.

"Bella," Jacob began tersely, "you have no idea how worried I was when I saw you two together like that."

"Jeez, Jacob." Bella blushed at his interpretation. "All my clothes are on anyway," she insisted politely. "Nothing happened."

I cringed; she didn't even sound like she wanted something to happen. I felt disappointed again and angry that I had let my wants get the better of me. Bella was just starting to see me as a friend. There was no way she could want me for anything else now.

Jacob looked at me again and I forced a cocky smile. The little prince didn't need to know that I was really breaking inside from my imprint's refusal of an intimate relationship. I would just have to be patient a little while longer. After last night, I had hope. It was better than we had been a week ago at least.

"Paul probably copped a feel through your clothes," Jacob determined.

"Jacob!" Bella's face flustered more into a reddish-purple color, resembling the shade of a bruised plum. "That is not what happened! Tell him, Paul." Her doe eyes beckoned toward me. "Tell him that you only fell asleep; we both did. Tell him."

Words hung like steel in my throat_. Tell him what? _I wondered, trying to keep the look of panic off my face._ Tell him that I wanted you? Tell him that the only reason I acted so nastily was just so I could hold you undisturbed for a night? I wasn't going to say shit, _I resolved.

"Damn, Jacob," I said, forcing another grin. "Any reason why you have to sell me out? You don't need to tell her everything about me."

I watched Bella's expression turn, anger taking over her face and I felt mine weigh heavy with guilt that I tried to convey in my eyes, but she didn't see it. I saw her body coming toward me, my arms still at my sides. I did not block her nor did I flinch as her hand snapped back and whipped across my face with pretty decent speed. As I said, I didn't shy away. My head barely moved.

But I did hear the bones in her hand break.

"OW! Ow, that hurts!" Bella bawled as she clutched her hand.

"Bella!" Jacob ran to her, catching her before her knees hit the floor. I stood there, still feeling ashamed that I hadn't been able to just say what I really wanted to say. I watched her holding her hand, swelling immediately in seconds and she glared back at me in fury. I shook my head.

"Told you you would break your hand," was all I dared to say.

Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Jacob grabbed her, hoisting her up and I fought the urge to tell him not to touch her. "I'm taking her to the hospital!" Jacob shouted at me. "This is all your fault."

I folded my lower lip for a second before replying back a response. "I'll grab her coat."

"No!" She screamed out, backing closer into Jacob and away from me. _Why am I always getting yelled at?_ "Don't come near me. I can't believe you, I just can't," she repeated.

A tremble ripped through my left shoulder. "I warned you—"

"I should have known that was all you wanted. I thought we were actually becoming friends," Bella interrupted. "I thought I was beginning to understand you and then you stand there and admit that all you wanted was to put your hand up my shirt!" she continued to rant.

I gulped and compelled the next few words out of my mouth. Words that made the old Paul seem a little closer than she had hoped. "It worked, didn't it?"

Bella's face fell further and she turned into Jacob's body. "Please take me away from him."

"You got it," Jacob obliged. "Come on, we'll go to the ER."

I watched them leave and didn't move from the spot where I stood until several minutes had gone. When Bella's truck finally pulled out of the driveway, I layed back down on the couch to place my head where I had been holding Bella not that long ago. _FUCK!_

* * *

**BPOV**

_At the hospital_

"I can't believe I was so stupid. So stupid," I reiterated to Jacob as the silent nurse continued to wrap my hand. Nurse Hawthorne hadn't needed to say much anyway; I was a regular to the ER.

Jacob nodded. "It's okay. That's just how Paul is, you know," he said softly. "You want me to talk to Sam about getting him out of the house?"

"No. Now I want him to suffer in that house with me," I answered quickly, and then felt the need to explain as I watched his face turn in a small surprise. "I can't unleash him back onto unsuspecting girls and not feel badly about it later. He stays."

Then Jacob laughed. "Yeah, the girls on the rez were wondering where he was. They only see him at school and he's usually so wrapped up in himself that he doesn't pay nearly as much attention to them as he use to."

"They should feel blessed."

"I told you."

"Ever get tired of being right?" I snapped.

He shook his head, looking on proudly. "No. Do you ever get tired of being wrong?"

I pouted. Nurse Hawthorne smiled at Jacob and me and then left the room. I gently flexed my hand and winced from the pain. Paul really did have a hard head. "Next time, I am using a crowbar," I said matter-of-factly.

"For next time, that would be best," Jacob chuckled.

"He's really not that bad. I know he's not," I tried adding as casually as I could. "He does these things. These little things that I've never heard about him doing with anyone else. Jared doesn't even know where some of this stuff is coming from and he knows him best, right?"

Jacob shrugged. "I guess Jared knows him better than the rest of us. I don't really know. I don't spend my time wondering what Paul is thinking about. It's usually about a particular body part or two."

"But he's so…he just seems so unlike himself lately," I continued persistently. "When no one is around, he actually doesn't bug me as much. He's actually nice. He's even quiet sometimes and he stands there, watching me."

Jacob scoffed. "Watching you do what? Shower?"

"No," I paused. "Come to think of it, I haven't caught him doing anything illegal; no drinking, no smoking, no guests of his own except the pack. There hasn't been a single girl in my house, not a one. He leaves when I leave except when someone comes to relieve him and he goes where I go. He complains, but once we get there, he's fine. He asks questions, he bugs me a little bit, and then he gets quiet and watches me," I went on, without prompt. "It used to make me nervous but then I found that I like it. It's like his eyes see and make me feel like a movie star. I never felt anything like it."

Jacob arched an eyebrow. "So Bella Swan likes being peeped?"

"Not peeped. Just…appreciated, I guess," I said lamely. "I hate when people give me compliments; it makes me blush, but with Paul, he seems to know that and has still found a way to make me feel comfortable. Like last night when he was asleep, I was feeling a little weird that he was holding me but then he said something and my whole body just relaxed under him. It was absolutely like nothing I had ever heard before. It was one simple word—"

"What word?" Jacob interrupted, clearly upset.

I shrugged, placing my broken hand gently on my lap. "I don't know. It wasn't in English."

"Probably not. We're learning our native language in school. What did it sound like?" Jacob pressed.

"Like 'chung lee.' 'Chung lo?' Something like that."

"Don't know that word."

"Well, then it was definitely weirder. Something breathier maybe. Like instead of 'chung,' maybe it was 'chin?' Or 'kid?' Something with 'kid' the beginning? Come on, Jake." Now I was getting antsy.

"Hey, I wasn't there." Jacob began to sound agitated again, a small vein throbbing in his neck. "I know a word that's similar, but it's pronounced 'chid.' Not 'kid.'"

"That sounds right, but there was something at the end of it. What does that first word mean?"

"It means 'you.'"

"Okay, and there was an end part too. Something with an 'L' at the beginning. It was definitely like 'lee' sounding."

"'Lee?' Like 'li?' Did it sound like chidlɁi?"

"Yeah, I think so. Say it under your breath."

"Huh? Under my breath?" Jacob looked skeptical.

"Yeah, cause he sounded like he didn't want to say it. Like he really didn't want to admit to it. Say it under your breath," I repeated and then suddenly had an idea. "Wait; let me cover your mouth with my hand."

"Bella," Jacob's muffled voice sounded from under my good hand. I waited a few seconds while Jacob gave in, took a deep breath, and repeated "ChidlɁi."

I almost squealed, feeling embarrassingly too much like a girl. "That's it! That's the word, I think. What does it mean?"

Jacob sighed. "Paul would have to say some shit like that."

"What? Is it nasty?" I felt my optimism draining. It would not have surprised me a bit if Paul had been muttering an obscenity under his breath after all. "Is it a naughty word?" I asked, feeling almost ashamed that I still wanted—no, that I still _needed_ to know what Paul had said.

My best friend shook his head a little at me. His brain was going to start rattling in there. "No," he admitted reluctantly, "but it's not true either if he's the one that said it." Jacob sat up straight, rubbing the back of his head as if he wasn't quite sure how to proceed. "He was never one for being owned or controlled by anyone so that's the part that's weird."

"What? I don't understand. What does it mean, Jake?" I asked again, feeling the edge of the cheap, plastic exam table. I even sat still so not to crinkle the wax paper my butt was sitting on. _What is it, Jake?_ I screamed inside. _What did Paul say? __  
_

"It means 'yours,'" Jacob said finally. "Simply 'I'm yours.'"

* * *

***A/N: Sorry to break the story here, but I just wanted to clarify that the Quileute word chidlɁi actually means 'you, I' but that was the closest I could get after researching it. However, for this story, let's pretend that it really means 'I'm yours.' Back to BPOV.**

* * *

Jacob and I drove back in silence, but it was only because my hand had started to throb again and the pills were already beginning not to work. Jacob promised that he would see if he could find some natural remedies on the rez instead for me to take. I nodded eagerly and immediately after he offered, not even caring if I had to start licking the underside of a rock that had just been bathed in 'fire-water' to get the throbbing ache in my hand to stop.

"White man's medicine doesn't seem to work on you anymore since you've been hanging around a pack of La Push werewolves, huh?" Jacob joked.

I smiled lightly, perspiration already breaking my brow. We pulled in to the driveway and I glanced up, catching Paul's eye. He was waiting on the porch, without a shirt on, of course. I barely waited for Jacob to open the door to the truck before I stomped over to Paul.

Paul shifted from one foot to the other but his eyes met my glare. "You okay?" he asked softly.

"I broke my hand on your face," I retorted angrily. "What do you think?"

He shrugged. "Not my fault."

"Then whose is it?" I pressed. "Is it Jacob's fault?"

"No, it's yours. Day one, I told you not to break your hand on my face," he said stonily.

"The least you can do is apologize," I snapped.

Paul furrowed his eyebrows. "For what? You were the one who—"

I cut him off. "Alright, alright." I tapped my foot impatiently. "Don't consider getting out of this arrangement either. If you think I'm kicking you out of the house so you can enjoy your freedom and screw every girl you meet again, you have another thing coming. You're staying here anyway."

"I never said I was going," Paul answered back.

I looked at him, blinking.

Jacob marched forward, glaring at Paul. I had forgotten he was even there.

"That's right; you're going to stay here and take care of her until she can move her hand again," Jacob proceeded to order. "You're going to wait on her hand and foot. You're going to fluff her pillows, wash the dishes, whatever. You'll be writing out her homework, if you have to."

Paul smirked. "You're not Alpha yet, so you can't order me around."

"You will do it," he commanded again.

"Listen," Paul snarled, losing his grin, "I've got this much patience left—"

"Hey, be quiet, both of you," I stepped in, keeping my attention and eyes as best as I could on Jacob. "Paul is staying here and that's punishment enough for both of us. And Jake, don't worry about it, I'll manage by myself. Besides," I dropped my voice, "Paul is too selfish to care about anyone else but himself anyway."

I heard Paul's breathing change and I felt him pull the hem of my pants, making me face him. "I'll do it," he said, his voice scratchy.

"You'll do what?" I asked, unsure if I heard him correctly.

"I'll wash the dishes, do the beds, whatever," Paul said, clearing his voice. "I'll do your homework; you tell me what to write."

"What? Why?" I questioned, still unbelieving.

"I look good in a butler's uniform." He resumed his smile. "And out of one."

I groaned.

* * *

_Some afternoons later…_

"Bells!"

Before I could take my next breath, Jacob had me in one of his trademark bear hugs, with my feet dangling an inch or so off the floor. The front door was hanging open and the windy Forks rain rushed itself into the archway of the house.

_Funny, _I thought, _Jacob must've run here in the rain but yet he was already dry. How could he have dried so fast? Must be a wolf-thing_.

Nonetheless, I wasn't supernatural and Jacob's grip was too strong. "Jake," I choked out, "Could you let me down?"

I heard an audible scowl not too far behind me. Jacob's arms tightened around my body and I was powerless to counter it; I was officially gasping for air. "Ja—" I tried again before three tremors bounced off the walls and into the hallway.

"Let go of her, fuckin' idiot!" Paul roared. "You're crushing her!"

I felt myself drop, landing at an awkward angle on my ankle. I bit back a yelp and stared into Jacob's apologetic face.

"Oh Bells, I'm sorry!" he exclaimed. "I forgot. I was so happy to see you—"

"You just saw her yesterday," Paul interrupted. "Don't you have other duties?"

Jacob narrowed his eyes at Paul and stiffened. "Bella is my duty."

I nearly blushed when Paul took another step closer to Jacob, puffing out his chest.

"Swan is my duty now or have you forgotten?" Paul sneered.

"And look at what you did to her!" Jacob pointed at my arm still in a sling and I grimaced.

Paul glanced at me for a moment and jammed his hands into his jeans pockets. "I'm taking care of things," Paul defended.

Jacob snorted. "That's what worries me." His eyes hardened at his pack mate and stood taller, towering slightly over Paul; Paul didn't seem to care one way or the other. He didn't budge under Jake's scrutiny or his impending closeness. Not even when Jacob met him eyelash to eyelash apart. "Stand aside," he ordered. Paul smirked, barely acknowledging him. Jacob crossed the threshold, brushing past Paul anyway while tugging me a little behind him. "I'm making sure there are no more slip-ups."

Paul's nostrils flared threateningly, but he still kept an eerie leer on his face. "What did Sam say?" Paul asked openly, grinning even wider.

Jacob tensed, but his answer flowed easily. "I don't care what he said. Nothing else is going to happen to Bella under my watch."

"You mean under _my_ watch," Paul ascertained.

Jacob waved his hand dismissively and sat on the couch. He patted the seat, urging me to sit next to him. I was starting to feel uncomfortable but moved to the back of the couch to meet him halfway. Paul practically leaped out of the hallway when he noticed Jacob getting more comfortable.

"Leave," Paul growled.

"Go walk yourself," Jacob countered back, nastily.

"Jake!" I gasped, surprised by his tone and knew with certainty that the word that he _really_ wanted to use in that reply was not 'walk.'

"You've been coming by for the last two days," Paul whined insistently. "Why don't you have a life?"

"Paul—" I started.

"Bella is my life," Jacob answered.

I turned between the two, worrying who could hurt who would hurt who the worse. "Jake, please—"

"Swan's your duty. Swan's your life," Paul mocked. "I thought the life of the supposed next Alpha would be more glamorous. Even Sam takes a rest to go and see Emily."

"And I'm seeing Bella," Jacob argued.

"You're not seeing her! You're showing up to the house, unannounced and uninvited!" Paul yelled.

Jacob stood up."This isn't your house!"

"I live here too!" Paul smarted back.

"Don't remind me."

Paul bit his lip and his chest began to rise and fall rapidly, his skin glowing red. Jacob's hands started to make popping noises, his knuckles and joints cracking without his aide. I widened my eyes; I knew what was going to happen next. I ran around the couch to stop their inevitable phasing and banged my knee into one of the coffee tables. I yowled in pain, reaching for my hurt leg in vain, stretching with my wronged arm still in the sling.

"Bells, no!" Jacob immediately rushed to my aide while Paul chortled, now with a more relaxed stance.

"Bang up job there, Swan," Paul said, with more than a hint of laughter in his voice.

I saw the red outline of his massive body as I squeezed my eyes shut, connecting the multicolored motes that bounced around the darkness. "Oh, be quiet!" I replied through gritted teeth. "At least I stopped you two from phasing in my house."

Jacob kneeled; I almost whitened at the thought of Jacob preparing himself to propose, but he had only lowered himself to rub my knee. _You should know better, Bella_, I scolded myself. _Jacob's not that nuts about you_. I glanced up and witnessed a flash of something in Paul's eyes and I hastily took my knee back, hobbling backward and off-balance toward the couch. "Thanks, Jake," I said quickly and sat down. Jacob stayed on his knee, looking at me with searching eyes while Paul shook his head, as if trying to gather himself and his own thoughts together.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

Jacob was the one who growled then and Paul sprinted to get the door. Jake was not far behind.

"Hey!" I called out after then to no avail; I twisted and tried to stand with my hurt knee and protect my sling arm from flailing too much as best as I could.

"What do you want?" I heard Paul bark, but I hadn't heard the door open.

"Oh, you're here again," a reply came back. The words sounded worse than the tone of the voice; the poor guy sounded intimidated.

"Never left, kid. Now what do you want?" Paul repeated.

"Yeah," Jacob joined. "What do you want?"

I could imagine the image of Mike stepping back to take in both Quileute boys who were secretly werewolves and protectors of Forks perfectly. If I hadn't known of their secret abilities, they might have freaked me out too. "Supernatural jocks," I muttered to myself.

"Is—is Bella here?" Mike stammered. "The door was open and-and I just wanted to make sure—"

Paul and Jacob laughed mockingly, interrupting him. "What's it to you?" Jacob asked.

I heard papers flutter as I continued to walk, awkwardly, and as fast as I could without hurting myself even more, to the front door.

"Home—homework—for the past couple days," Mike's voice stated, straining to make a desperate attempt to be even at the end…and nearly pulling it off. "You know, be—because of her hand? Her homework!" he insisted again.

"Really?" Paul asked. "Lemme see that—Ooops!"

I finally came up almost behind my two protectors and watched a few loose-leaf sheets fall to the wet ground. I wanted to give Paul the benefit of the doubt, but somehow I knew he had dropped the papers on purpose.

"So sorry," Paul said, not sounding very apologetic at all.

Mike turned a slight shade of pink and bent down to pick up the papers. Paul started to reach for him as Mike's head went down when I warned, "Paul."

Paul blinked but his hand was already in motion; Mike looked up too quickly and went face first into Paul's giant hand. There was a small smacking noise and then an "Oomph!" followed by Mike's butt hitting the landing of the wood porch. Jacob reached out to grab Mike by the cuff of his pants, but still he slipped a little down the first two steps, skinning his elbow. All was silent for a second as we tried to register what had just happened to Mike before two roars of laughter erupted, clapping like thunder in the sky.

"Oh did you see that!" Paul hooted. "Did you see that?"

"Yeah!" Jacob echoed. "Oh my God!"

"Holy shit! How can someone so soft land so hard?" Paul was holding his sides, slapping at the air. "Priceless! I thought Swan had all the grace in Forks, but this one—ah, God, this one!" Paul continued to laugh as he cut himself off.

I was fuming. Not only had both guys assumed I couldn't even walk for my own safety, but now they were belittling Mike, who had been nice enough to bring me my homework. "Both of you guys are jerks!" I sounded.

Jacob stopped laughing but Paul was still sniveling.

"Mike, are you okay?" I helped him to his feet, with the right arm this time, and started pulling him toward the inside of the house when Mike went pale.

"No, no, Bella," Mike stopped me. "I'm okay. I'm good. I just wanted to bring you your homework. I don't need to come in or anything."

"Smart move," Paul voiced.

I glared at Paul. "I can have any visitor I want in my house, you got that?"

Jacob chuckled lightly as Paul's face dropped, but I quickly turned my anger onto him. "And you, you can now start calling before you come over here. I am not a child nor am I a duty of yours either!" I said venomously.

Jacob gulped lightly. "Sorry, Bells."

I looked away from Jacob and concentrated on Paul again. He had such an innocent look on his face that I had almost forgotten why I was upset with him. Almost.

"And you can apologize for pushing Mike," I ordered.

Paul's head reared back as I if had slapped _him_. "No."

"No?"I questioned.

"No," he reiterated more forcefully. "That little soft, bitch—"

"It's okay, Bella. It's cool," Mike said. I turned incredulously to Mike and watched him grin back sheepishly. "It's okay," he repeated with little conviction. "Really. I gotta go. I'm really sorry about the messy homework." His eyes dropped as he tried to hand me a few semi-soggy pages. "I could call you," Mike began to offer, "with the rest of the assignments if you can't make any of the words out."

"Or not," Paul threw back.

"Yeah, or not," Jacob chided in.

I snatched the pages out of Mike's hand unable to keep the anger out of my voice as I started, "Guys, what did I just say—"

"I—I can call Bella if I want to, you know," Mike said out loud.

Paul and Jacob looked at each other and started laughing again, softer this time, but the mockery was still there.

"Looks like the marshmallow grew a spine," Paul goofed.

Jake nodded, not quite able to start speaking yet due to his scoffing.

I sighed and faced Mike, figuring he had had enough embarrassment for one day. I was sure the whole pack would know what had befallen Mike before dinner that night. "Thank you again, Mike," I said as levelly as I could and kissed his cheek lightly.

Silence came back, sounding louder than before; Mike's eyes filled with gratitude, Jacob's were glossed over in sheer disgust, but Paul's was the worst.

Lightening from the passing storm sharply cracked behind the house with Paul's hands listlessly hanging down. His eyes shone like two bits of pearls covered in tar and the momentary flash of hurt that swept across his russet face hurt me much more than a broken hand ever would again. I blankly stared at him, unsure of quite what to do, wondering if I could even do anything at all. My mouth started to open when Paul's hand flinched and then shot out the second time that afternoon, but all he did was paw a part of the door frame, a few splinters crumbling from the door's hinge. Mike's eyes widened, but before I or Jake could say anything to warn him off, Paul sulked back inside, banging into the slightly mangled door on his way into the house.

Mike laughed uncomfortably.

"Well, thanks," he said and hurried off. "Call you tonight, Bella!" Mike announced as he climbed into his Dad's Chevy Trailblazer and drove off.

I looked on, reassuring myself that Mike had actually left and likely wouldn't double-back to the house, and slapped my homework papers into Jacob's chest.

"Why didn't you stop him from falling, Jake?" I accused.

"I tried." After I gave no response, Jacob shrugged. "Okay, fine. It made for a funnier story if the marshmallow fell instead."

I rolled my eyes.

"Bells," Jacob started cautiously, "do I really have to call each time I want to come over?"

I made an angry noise with my throat. "Not now, Jake. I have to go yell at your other half."

Jacob grimaced a little, but held his tongue and started to help me into the house, but I shrugged him off; I was not an invalid. Jacob allowed me to be angry and stayed a few steps back as I marched into the living room and glowered behind Paul, who was aimlessly flicking through channels.

"Paul," I called out.

He made no movement, not even tensing up at the sound of my voice.

Jacob whistled.

"Okay, I've gotta get going. Patrol and all…" he trailed off.

"What, now?" I asked. It was amazing; Jacob and Paul's alpha leader sanctioned the hotheaded werewolf in my house to babysit me while my best friend intermittently dropped by to help said hotheaded werewolf to scare my friends, and turn my house, my very life upside down.

"Sorry, Bells," Jacob said quietly. "I'll stop by…call you later," he added once he saw my stern face.

Jacob gave me another hug that I did not return and left, closing the door behind him. I looked after him to make sure the door was closing enough properly when Paul suddenly jumped in my face.

I took a reflexive step back, staring into his still black and soulless eyes. I swallowed loudly, determined to keep my back straight and my breathing minimal for fear I would take his odor, his smell, his aura that was the very being of him into my lungs and lose my mind.

"Why'd you kiss him?" Paul demanded to know.

I grunted and looked back at him with as much as will as I dared, still trying to keep my mind on the task at hand; which at the moment was to not to fall into a puddle on the floor in front of him.

"Jealous?" I inquired innocently.

Paul's jaw moved, but he didn't answer and my eyes widened in surprise because I suddenly knew the answer; he _was_ jealous. Paul sniffed and then retreated back, his head hanging down and his hands pulling uncomfortably at the ends of his shirt.

"Fix me something to eat," he abruptly commanded.

My good hand jerked, folded and then resting on my hip. "I can help you fix yourself something to eat," I offered instead. I waved my slung arm a little to make a point and Paul nodded.

"Do that, then."

We continued to watch one another for a few more seconds, carefully sizing each other up before I just gave in and walked away from him and into the kitchen.

And as I fanned myself a little for relief from the heat, I heard Paul gasp as if he too had been holding it in for too long.

* * *

"Swan, I'm hungry!" Paul bellowed again from downstairs.

My head hit the cheap pine door to the bathroom. I was seconds away from escaping; the bathroom was really the only place I could attempt to achieve privacy from Paul. "You're always hungry! How many mouths do you have?" I asked.

"This particular mouth works just fine; trust me," he vowed. "Get down here and make me something to eat!"

I did my best to ignore him. I closed the door and locked it, happily hearing the little mechanism click. I took one look around and frustratingly yelled, "Paul, the toilet seat is up again!" through the door.

"Well use your good hand to put it back down!" he bellowed back.

I sighed deeply and did what he said, feeling thwarted that he was turning every request that I made of him into a fight. I proceeded to go to the bathroom.

"I said I'm hungry, Swan!" Paul called again.

_Always hungry_. "Will you wait a minute, Paul? I'm in the—" my voice caught as the bathroom door flung open with Paul standing in its doorway. _Hadn't I locked that_? I wasn't sure of what I did anymore. I never needed to lock the door with Charlie…but then again, I don't think Charlie ever tried purposefully to peep in on me using the bathroom.

"Paul, what the heck?" I screamed out, quickly putting a hand over the top open button of my jeans.

"Swan, will you curse like a real fuckin' person?" he snarled. "That habit isn't cute either."

"I don't need to curse," I stated smugly.

"Maybe not, but you need to hurry up and get downstairs so I can make dinner," Paul demanded. "I don't know what to do with the chicken."

"Did you wash it?" I questioned, pulling on my pants as quickly as I could without falling while jumping up. Looks like two precious half-breaths was the only peace I was going to get in the bathroom tonight.

Paul gave a gritty "No," from in-between his teeth.

"Start by washing it then and I'll be down there by the time you finish," I instructed. I then followed my own advice and washed my hands, glaring back at him. That seemed to be the only way I could look at him while he was awake. Oh the nights I've seen him sleep—

Paul wrinkled his nose. "Are you going to wear those jeans to dinner?" he asked suddenly. "You've already been wearing them for two days and you stink."

All of my thoughts shut off. I wheezed, mortified, and embarrassed at his coldness. It wasn't easy changing your clothes or taking a shower with a perceptive, hotheaded, and annoying teenage werewolf in the house. Especially one that kept barging in without knocking. I was seriously considering that Paul may have been trying to catch me performing a lewd act on purpose. I was already so vulnerable with him; what more did he need to do to me? I struggled not to cry as I met his eyes.

"It's hard for me to change, Paul," I said in a small voice.

He sucked his teeth and walked down the hall. I heard him roughly open one of my dresser drawers and when I blinked, he was back with a pair of loose, blue sweats and a white t-shirt.

"Give me your arms," he commanded. "We'll do you shirt first."

I shook my head at him immediately getting what he wanted of me. Well, I wasn't going to do it. I'd rather stink.

Paul stepped closer. "I've seen chicks naked before," he proclaimed. "So you've got nothing I don't know about already. Get over it because I'm not eating next to you with you smelling like this."

I blinked quickly again, imagining the color of my cheeks matching his naturally red skin. "I—I can't—I don't want you to see me," I stammered bashfully.

"Then I'll close my eyes, Swan, but you need to at least change your clothes. Would you feel better if I were the Prince instead?" he snapped, clearly annoyed.

"At least he would have been nicer about my odor."

"There's nothing _nice_ about your odor," he hissed again.

I turned away, but the tears had already begun to fall. Paul was a nightmare and there was no point in denying it any longer; he had finally broken me down and I had nothing left to fight him with. I started to tug at my own shirt, anxious to get it off of my skin to shut him up. I even pushed the thought out of my mind; that I was about to be topless in front of a guy that was the walking plague for the CDC, according to Jacob. I stretched the fabric of the tee and lifted it to my neck as I felt his fingers on my rib cage. The hot wetness on my face was matched by the growing dampness between my legs. The tips of his fingers were only on me for one brash moment; a heavenly and wonderful millisecond that made one of my knees shake and left my mouth slightly agape. A hard gulp was stuck somewhere in my throat. The clean cotton shirt was suddenly rubbing against my back, and Paul moved his fingers to my elbows and assisted me with the rest of the removal of my shirt. He held my bandaged hand still as he put my other arm through the other sleeve and pulled it down, over my head without a second more to spare or linger over my topless body.

"Stop crying," he ordered, snapping me back to reality.

I wiped at my face, hoping that if he was looking at my face his other senses wouldn't pick up anything else. "What? Don't like to see girls cry?" I challenged, almost matching his harsh tone.

"Now that you mention it, no, I don't," he answered.

"Well girls do cry, Paul. At least the ones that are human do," I sniffled. "And I cry."

"I know that," he spat back. "I just…I just don't like seeing _you_ cry," Paul finished.

I glanced at him, not sure if he had meant to say what he said or not. I tilted my head, starting to ask him what he had been implying with his last statement when Paul suddenly jerked me, forcing me to turn around to face the tub, put his hands on my waist, and yanked my jeans down. I grunted at the amount of burn left on my skin by the friction when he lifted me with one arm to remove my fallen jeans from around my ankles and slipped on my sweats. He pulled them up and tied the drawstring.

I hated to admit it, but it was over too quickly.

"You're dressed," he announced as he spun me back around to face him. "Now can we fix the chicken so I can eat now, your highness-in-training?"

I nodded compliantly and watched him walk out again, this time trudging down the stairs. My un-bandaged hand raced over my face and my knotty hair for a few minutes before I followed quietly a few paces behind him. He disappeared into the kitchen. My body was still trembling from how the comforting, but quick hands of Paul and I was amazed that he had somehow managed to do something nice without eliciting a sexually suggestive comment at the same time. Was I dreaming? I had been topless after all and he hadn't even seemed to care. Either I wasn't his type or he was really use to me.

"I thought every girl was his type," I permitted myself to say out loud.

"I'm more hungry than horny right now, Swan," he called from the kitchen. "And I'm getting impatient. Someone's dog is going to get stolen and ravished right out of its front yard if your ass isn't in here to help me in five seconds!"

I scowled. There was no privacy from Paul and his super werewolf hearing anywhere in the house.

Paul was already washing the small Cornish hens and three were already done by the time I finally did make it down the stairs. He slapped the remaining hens on a free counter and started stuffing them with the grounded meats I had helped him prepare earlier this afternoon.

"What about washing the rest of them?" I asked.

"I don't get sick easily," Paul argued. "And I doubt salmonella poisoning will affect a werewolf."

"What about me?" I complained. "I'm eating this food too." _Didn't he ever think of anyone but himself?_

"Eat the good ones," he said simply. "Keep them separate from the rest of them and you'll be fine. I washed those pretty good."

"I don't want you sick," I insisted. "I don't even want a hint of it."

"And you don't want me angry either." Paul narrowed his eyes at me. "I'm eating this one way or the other."

I rolled my eyes, but remained quiet. Paul looked satisfied and resumed his stuffing. I watched him push the grounded meat into the chicken for a few more seconds before I started to shake my head at him again.

"You stuffed it too much," I exclaimed, trying to get Paul to move so I could help.

"I did not," Paul disputed and gave me a little shove with his hot elbow, a hand still stuck in the hen. "You never put enough meat in the stuffing. I need meat. I'm not a fucking rabbit."

"Paul, language!" I shouted.

"Back off, Swan, I'm warning you," Paul swore.

_That's it_! Before I could stop myself, I threw what was left of the stuffing in the bowl at him. It splattered across his polo shirt and he looked at me, furious. The last chicken _plopped!_ onto the floor.

"Fuck, that's it! I need to get out of here," he yelled and walked out of the kitchen. "First she wants me to help and then she throws shit at me! She's fuckin' crazy!" I heard him trail off into the next room.

I sighed, feeling a bit bad that I had lost my temper as I heard him talking quickly on the phone for some seconds before he slammed the phone back down. I walked over to the living room, calling out to him after I was sure that his conversation was over. I felt horrible that I had thrown food at him, but he was so difficult. I knew I was driving him crazy with all the 'back and forth' I kept doing; he had just screamed it.

"Paul, come here," I called softly to him. "Can we please get this into the oven before you leave or you won't have anything to eat when you finally do get back."

"Christ, Swan, if you don't stop, I'm gonna break your other hand on purpose," he threatened. Paul was putting on another shirt, this one dark blue, and then met my eyes. "I wish your God-damn bloodsuckers would come back now," he stated spitefully. "You are on my last fucking nerve."

My gasp from the bathroom finally escaped. "You are so insensitive!" I cried.

"Then stop riding me about everything I'm doing! If no one can do it like you, then you do it!" Paul challenged. "In the meantime, stop treating me like I can't do shit by myself! I'm not an idiot, Swan!" he declared blatantly.

I kept my hands and arms in front of me, moving toward the kitchen door, the only way out except through the front. Something told me to back down. A voice was telling me that I was pushing Paul too far, but I couldn't stop. I had been enduring his cruel words and attitude for too long and I couldn't take another night of his bullshit without understanding why.

"I have never said that you were an idiot!" I claimed.

He scoffed. "You and everyone on the rez act like it! You're all the same! I'm not dumb! And I'm not a whore!"

"You act like you are! Oh, the big, mighty Paul can't be messed with or tamed!" I mocked. "You think that nothing can get through that thick hide of yours? You think if you keep pushing people out that no one will be able to see how you really are?" I screamed back.

"Don't talk to me about pretending to be something that I'm not, leech-lover."

The wind was knocked out of me by imaginary hands, but I pressed myself to keep going. "Don't you dare to speak about them to me like that! The Cullens' saved my life and what have you done except eat, sleep, and scream about not getting any?" I accused. "I'm trying to help you!"

"Help me by moving your ass out the front of that door and let me go out. How the fuck can you stay in this house all the time?" Paul asked. "Depressed or not, missing your parasite or not, it gets old, Swan."

"It's Bella, you asshole!" I insisted, my throat hurting from my raised voice.

"Ooh, the little Miss Perfect Swan cursed. Never thought I'd see the day," he sneered.

"Why are you like this?"

"Why do you like _them_?" Paul retorted back. "They're not even here and you're defending them. Fuckin' leeches didn't even want you! They left you and you still sit obediently in the corner, waiting for them to arrive? How pathetic."

Angry tears streamed my face, but I wasn't going to stop to wipe them away. I needed to get this out. "What about all those girls that you were with? How badly did you treat them and they still came around you, wanting to be with you? They were like dogs in heat," I tried to shout back, but my voice began disappearing into a squeak from overuse.

"That's exactly what they were, Swan, bitches in heat, and who the fuck are you to tell me anything about dating?" Paul maliciously argued. "Wasn't that leech your first love? How did it feel the morning after fucking a cold rock?"

I was horrified. "That's none of your business," I whispered.

Paul seemed satisfied and his smile turned scornful. "Disgusting. I can't believe the Prince even dreams about you. It's gross. And you're nothing but a tease," he added before resuming his previous position and stepped closer toward me. I backed away as my breathing hitched, but I moved my body even closer to the door. I was now completely blocking Paul in.

His brownish tinted colored eyes burrowed into me, abruptly turning the shade of black ink, and I dug my hands into my sides out of instinct for tense confrontations. Paul bit into his lower lip, drawing a small amount of blood from his teeth just before he bared them at me. I forced myself to stand up straight, testing my strength against his as he tightened his own hands, turning them into fists. His knuckles cracked like bits of kindle in a warm hearth, but he was making his own heat with little effort or influence. He continued to stand there, attempting to stare me down, and I cringed before I could stop myself, but I did not shrink back from him. The house was eerily quiet for some time before Paul spoke a low order that should have had me quivering from its intensity, but I was not afraid of him.

"Move," Paul uttered.

"No," I said back with a much less amount of force, but with courage all the same.

"I'm not your sweet Jacob, Swan," he promised. "I'm not afraid to get rough with you."

"Then do it," I dared, suddenly getting my voice back. "Show me," I heard myself saying, using the same words that he had demanded of me a few short days ago.

Paul's fire was the only thing I felt when the world stopped. He was suddenly so close to me that I could hear and feel his heartbeat pounding into my upper chest, mimicking the speed of mine. My eyes had blurred as he moved with such stealth that I should have missed it, being human, but I suddenly knew every move he was making without the aid of my sight. I abruptly felt a connection to him; an electric, kismet energy that multiplied in its intensity as soon as he was within reach of me. No longer was I blinded and crushed by the weight of my anger for things I could not change; I had lost Charlie. I was abandoned by my vampire love, Edward. I even lacked the comprehension to understand why Sam had put me in the house with this one particular wolf. _To keep me safe_, I answered myself. _Paul would keep me safe. No one else, but him could_.

He moved his hand and I continued to keep my eyes trained on him, wanting to will him to move it closer to me so that we'd be touching. _He's not going to hurt me_, I realized. _He doesn't even want to hurt me_. Is that why I cared for Paul like I did? Is that why I didn't want him to leave, even after I had broken my hand on his face? No. No, I wanted Paul. He wasn't like anyone I knew and I wanted him all to myself. I didn't want to share him with those other girls and I didn't want to have to worry, wondering if he wanted to be with me as much as I wanted to be with. I could see it in his eyes again; he knew that I wanted him.

Paul was here. He was almost on me, gaps of space be damned. I could see the slight sheen glowing across his forehead. I could even see the reflection of myself in his eyes as he continued to stare at me, suddenly unsure of how to act. I had just asserted myself against him, pushing him to the point that he was close to phasing, but I was not afraid to push him and I never had been. It took until just then to realize why I was never afraid of him; I wanted to be with him. The feeling was so strong that it knocked out my instinct to survive against all odds, because if I didn't have Paul with me, there would be no point in living. I had thought Edward was the world, but Edward was gone and he wasn't coming back. But now I suddenly didn't care. I didn't want Edward back at all.

I felt Paul's nose gently bump onto my cheek and heard him inhale me. My lips parted, preparing to finally give in to the one flavor I had not been able to taste with my tongue since I had met him, since I had found him.

He pulled back a little and I grabbed him by the roots of his hair so hard that my injured hand began to throb at the same pace of my heartbeat. I touched his lips with mine and forced my tongue into his mouth. Paul seemed surprised momentarily and his whole body twitched, but then he snaked his arms around my hips and returned the kiss, slowly and quite passively, gently knocking his tongue against mine and they danced to the beat of a song that hadn't been written yet. My stomach jumped; nervous by the fact that I hadn't felt a kiss like this before, but I wasn't letting that stop me. My back hit the wall, which should have shifted my attention from our kiss to another small pain in my back…but that didn't stop me either. Paul showed his appreciation for my focus by deepening our kiss, dipping my head as he reached in my mouth to pull out my tongue again, forcing me to keep reacting to the heat of his body. Our bodies seemed to stand as one now.

His fingers scraped across my whole torso, grabbing my face, and leaving a faint but burning shadow of heat behind every surface of my skin that he touched. His mouth moved with certainty, but he was so tranquil that I almost thought that I was kissing a completely different person than the one who had been yelling at me in the kitchen. This person that I was kissing seemed almost tamed.

I pushed my body further into him, becoming even more immersed in our kiss, and I heard him make a gurgling sound with his throat.

"Bella," he murmured faintly.

I shook the sound of his deep voice from my mind, staying in sync with him. His hips pressed into me, making my body tingle, and I was sure that all I wanted to do was keep kissing him. I nodded my head, to affirm my own suspicions and he pushed his face into my neck, leaving my lips behind for the moment.

"Jesus Christ," one of us mumbled. I was so in tuned to him that I wasn't sure which one of us had taken the Lord's name in vain, but that didn't even seem to matter either. What was important was that we both wanted it.

Paul grabbed me by my waist and began kissing a trail from the side of my mouth down to the hollow of my neck. I shuddered against him, but did not pull away. I had never orgasmed with another person before, but I was pretty sure I was close to doing so right now. He kissed the throbbing vein in my throat and I smiled as his soft, black hair grazed my cheek. He angled my face lightly with his tongue, careful not to force me lest I stop him too soon, and touched the bottom of my chin with his right hand. His nose moved, inhaling me again, and I rubbed the side of his face with my palm, as if I was cooing a small animal.

"Bella," he said again as hips came between my slightly open thighs. I gasped when I felt something thick and hard between them. I almost swallowed my tongue as he moved slowly again, closer to my face. I felt his fingers move toward my back, pulling me ever closer and he grinned a little. I held my breath as his lips glided over my entire face before landing on my mouth again. I hunched my shoulders and my thoughts became consumed with nothing else but our kiss.

"Oh my God," I finally answered back before he silenced me with another lock of our lips.

* * *

***A/N: This oughta do it. You helped me to sleep, Paul.**

**I know, too dramatic. Sorry. **

**Thank you for reading/reviewing and even for listening to my rant in the beginning author's note. For helping me rediscover my Paul addiction, the next chapter will come a lot sooner, I promise. No time table, but I swear, I'm trying.**


	11. The Lover

**Hey guys, it's been awhile since I updated but I really want to thank all the people that have continued to read and leave reviews for this story. I don't think I got back to everyone so I wanted to quickly but wholeheartedly say **_**thanks**_** first before I continued with the story. There's no excuse except that Life just got in the way. I will do my best to be more consistent (again with the promise) in regards to updating.**

**I'd like to also thank my two betas for this chapter: evelyn-shaye & kitchmill for all their help. They had a lot of my grammatical errors to read through and they did an awesome job! If I missed any errors, they belong to me, not them.**

**Please enjoy…**

* * *

**Chapter Summary:** Bella and Paul take the time to explore their new relationship together with very promising results of what's to come. Also Paul tests the waters, in his own way, trying to figure out the new boundaries of the imprint-wolf relationship.

**Chapter X: "The Lover," by Alesana**

**BPOV**

_I can't believe it, I'm kissing Paul_, I mused. _I'm kissing Paul, I'm kissing…Paul_.

_Oh my God!_

Paul breathed into my mouth, and I yearned to accept every last breath he could give me. I felt his hands wrestle back and forth, tugging on my sweats, and I crashed my mouth into his shoulder when his heat touched me on my bare lower back. I made an attempt to grab his wrists when my injured hand began to throb, feeling as if a small boulder was flattening it. I teared up as I stepped back, Paul still fingering the top hem of my loose pants.

He looked confused, anguished, as his eyes focused on mine. "What's the matter?" he asked tentatively. "Should I not have kissed back?"

_Oh no_, I thought, _how could Paul even think such a thing?_ I was amazed that neither of us had thought to kiss before. Or at least maybe I should have acted on his many suggestions to sleep together.

I shook my head fervently, both at my last thought and from the fear that I would cry out _Don't leave ever_ if I actually opened my mouth. Would that have shown my desperation? I so craved his warmth, even more now than before our kiss. It was a drug. A wonderful, amazingly great drug. _I wanted more!_

I grabbed him again as I sighed willfully, blinking back tears; the pain from my hand was intense and it replaced the center of everything that I stood for a moment ago. I attempted to pull Paul closer once more, anxiously waiting to feel his body next to mine, again, and my hand twitched less as it moved across his covered chest. I flexed the fingers on my broken appendage as tenderly as I could manage, feeling much like I was ravishing his skin with my fingertips alone. _Oh, how I wanted to._ I felt his heart pump faster the further my hand moved away from his center of his chest and slower when it was close.

I was strangely at ease, knowing that just my hand had the power to calm and excite him. My thoughts were lost once more as Paul kissed the side of my face, and with my nose nudged him closer to my mouth. I pulled on his lips, taking charge now that the pain in my hand was subdued, and I heard him grunt enthusiastically, his thumbs moving up and down my arms.

Our hips began to gyrate with each other's, and my outer parts began to anticipate and imitate my insides, almost immediately creating a small pool of wetness in my panties. I threw myself more into the kiss, making a small noise, and standing on my tip-toe to accommodate the large height difference. Paul drew back a little, and I almost whimpered in excitement when I suddenly felt his hands under my butt as he hoisted me up against the wall of the stairs with my legs open and closer to his still moving mouth. He kept me elevated by sitting me on his thigh.

"You're too damn short," he breathed, laughing a little.

"You're too darn big," I whispered back.

"Yeah, but I think you like it." He dipped his head into my neck, making me move to the left, and slowly moved his fingers up my t-shirt. I held my breath as his fingertips draped over my already hardened nipples and shuddered as he made his first contact, breathing on their heightened sensitivity through my thin, cotton shirt. "I think you like when I do this too." I nodded at him with little affirmation otherwise. "Are you okay with this?" he asked.

I nodded again, fisting his hair again with my good hand. Something firm pressed into my open thighs and I giggled, feeling a little out of character. Paul moved and kissed me again, this time pushing his shoulders closer to my body. I moaned under the pressure and suddenly did a sharp breath.

"Paul, my hand again."

Without another word, Paul kissed my bandaged wrist and fingers and placed it on his neck. "Don't move it from there, okay?"

My hand, already feeling lighter and less constricted by the bandages, began to lose its swelling as I flexed my fingers in the bandaged brace on Paul's skin. His fingers swept back my damp hair, my body already growing with excitement from him, and he gently bumped my nose with his. Paul's actions grew bolder still as his hands slid to the top of my underwear, fingering the elastic.

"Don't think you'll get very far with me sitting on one of your legs," I joked.

He nodded, and his eyes darted toward the beginning of the stairs. I looked away, feeling a bit shy now. I knew that he was asking my permission to take me upstairs, and I truthfully didn't mind going up there with him, but I was afraid. I wasn't sure how far I would let him go, and I was even more fearful that I didn't want him to hold back from me either. Was I willing to do this? Was I ready to lose myself? I put my head on his shoulder, and he withdrew his hands, placing them back around my lower stomach.

He looked as if he had drawn into his own conclusions before I could answer him. "Too fast for you?"

I averted my eyes to the top of his chest. "Yes?" I almost cowered even while wrapped in his arms. I really hated to disappoint him and I thought that he might get angry again, but before I could explain why I just couldn't...couldn't do **_it_ **yet, my face was already being angled up with a gingerly touch.

"That's cool. I can keep kissing you, though, right?" he asked. I giggled again, my face growing hot under his hands. "I'll take that as a 'yes,' then."

I subconsciously began to rub his leg with my already wet inner thighs as I gave in to another one of his kisses, this one bringing a pleasant humming from the inside of Paul's chest and throat. I smiled again as I heard him utter my name. I started to moan his back when Paul suddenly froze under me, removing his leg and gently setting my feet down on the floor. I watched his eyes grow alert as he exclaimed, "Shit!"

"What?"

Paul hit his head with a hand and took a step back. "Quil's coming; he's relieving me for a few hours. I had just called him before we started to…talk things out," he finished carefully.

I put my hand to my lips and looked at him. "Can you take it back? Can you send him away or ask him to come back later?"

"I can't." He looked antsy as he said it.

I slowly accepted that I was about to be out of reach from him for a few hours. I was already missing him. "So…what do you want to do, then?"

Paul groaned and pulled me to him, placing numerous chaste kisses on my throat and chin for some seconds before answering, "I want to stay here with you."

My eyes brightened. "So then stay."

"If I don't go, he'll wonder why, and then the image will be played back for the pack. Quil is too damn nosy and he can never keep a secret or his inquiries to himself."

"What? But how?"

"As a pack, we share one mind when we're phased," Paul quickly explained. "My pack mates see, hear, know, and feel everything that I've done. Or want to do."

Suddenly I grew nervous, paling at the mention of Paul's words. The pack could hear and see all the thoughts of the other wolves. The shared pack mind. Jacob was in the pack. Jacob would see what I had done, and my friendship would be lost. Jacob would never forgive me for kissing Paul willingly as I did. I would lose him for sure. I fought the spinning room and my labored breathing, clutching on to the rail with my bad hand. Paul's eyes went large, and he increased his hold on me, immediately prying my fingers from around the cold metal rail and back around his neck.

"Easy, babe, easy," he soothed.

"Stop calling me 'babe,'" I muttered in between gasps.

Paul grinned. "What's the matter?" he whispered into my hair. "What are you worried about?"

"The pack mind," I insisted. "Jacob will see. Jacob will see—"

"He'll see nothing from tonight. I promise. Jacob isn't even on patrol right now, and most of the time, no one ventures inside my head, anyway. We're safe," Paul proclaimed.

_How could he know? How could he really know?_

I felt my head move, but I was not sure if it was shaking or nodding. Paul didn't seem to notice either way. "You're going to make me have to kiss you again, Swan," he said.

I wheezed out a breath, trying to focus on how Paul's voice was affecting me in such a way that even Edward had been unable to do. I gave in, forgetting momentarily that this thing between us had just started. It already felt like I had been fighting it off too long.

I gave him a counter-offer. "Promise?" I stared at him, thinking of everything that I was asking Paul to do for me when I heard myself ask him. I wanted him to stay quiet and not share any details of what had transpired between us this evening. I wanted to not feel ashamed of being against him, catching and meshing with his hot flesh with nothing to stand in our way, not even sheets. And I wanted him to promise to come back. I wanted him to keep kissing me like he had, making a promise to fulfill my body's intense desire to be with him.

He didn't hesitate. "Promise," he answered.

I started to pull him forward when I heard a knock. Paul whispered a small curse again and pecked my lips briefly. "I'll be back." My face fell as he backed away, straightened my shirt with a small jerk, and watched him walk over to the kitchen door to let Quil in as if nothing had happened.

_What did happen, Bella? What's going on?_

**PPOV**

I couldn't believe my luck, good and bad. Not only had I been able to kiss Bella, finally making the other women in my past seem dull in comparison, but now I would have to wait to have her again because Quil had shown up.

_Fuckin' Quil Ateara, the V_. He had shown up, and now I had to leave Bella behind. I fuckin' forgot that I had even called him! I would have to leave my imprint behind. There was no other way. I couldn't stay in the house and _not_ be able to kiss her. It was like letting a kid open up his presents a day before Christmas and not letting him play with them until the day of. I was right before; I could not stay in the house and not kiss her, even with my pack mate there. It would have been way too hard. I would have had to take her.

_No, no, no_, I screamed inside my head. _She is not like them. She is not like those other girls_. What had my Bella called them? "_Dogs in heat_?" Is that what I was like before her? Had I just gone from girl to girl, wooing them, sleeping with them, and then breaking their hearts straight after? _Yes, yes, yes_. Well, Bella wasn't like them. My Bella wasn't like them.

But she can't possibly be like me. Aren't imprints your perfect match? Unmistakable replicas of yourself? I didn't know. I had to know suddenly. I had to ask Sam. No, wait, I had to leave the house first. I had to find out if I would never be able to look and see another girl like I saw my Bella. I had to know this for myself, and then I would find out all I could about imprinting. Then I would see the bond that exists between us. But I had to make it out of this house first. I had to let Quil in and leave this house first.

"Yo, man, open the door. You had me rush over here and now you seem to be dragging your feet. Move your hot, werewolf ass and lemme in," Quil said jokingly.

I let out an annoyed grunt and squeezed the door knob, granting Quil entrance. I had to catch my breath once I turned around and saw Bella peering from around the doorway of the living room. She smiled brightly at Quil, and my heart leapt when I saw her reaction. I wished that I could always be able to make her smile like that.

"Hi, Quil," she said happily.

Quil whistled. "Hello, Bella. Nice, natural blush on your face. What happened? Sat too close to a fire?"

Bella laughed it off and I bit back a nasty retort meant for Quil.

"Something like that," Bella answered. "Thanks for coming over."

"Anything for you, Bella." Quil grinned and looked back at me. "Hey, get lost. You had your shot with B, now it's my turn."

I grew defensive, anger becoming the force that made me shake. "You don't get a shot."

Quil brushed me off with a hand. "I think Bella and I would make a very cute couple. She's a girl and I'm a boy."

I gritted my teeth, my trembling fists now seeking to wrap themselves around Quil's neck, when Bella abruptly called my name, breaking my angry thoughts of maiming my pack mate.

"Paul, hurry up and come back so we can make dinner."

I glanced at her; that was not what we would be doing when I finally did get back. "Yeah, okay."

"Oh cool, whatcha making?" Quil asked excitedly.

"Chicken," Bella answered.

"Ooh, chicken. I get the leg."

"You'll need one after I break yours," I threatened. "Don't touch my chicken." _Or my Bella_, I added to myself.

Quil nodded, not paying much attention as he threw an arm casually around Bella's good shoulder, and I had to clutch the counter before I would jump on top of Quil to pummel him. I had to check something and could not get caught wasting time on Quil; I had to know if Bella was indeed my imprint. Was she truly destined for only me to have for the rest of our lives?

I almost didn't remember to put on my shoes. I threw open the back door and nearly jumped off the small porch, landing on the balls of my feet and into the cold night. The internal reflections of my mind were driving me crazy, and I sought refuge; I wanted peace and quiet.

I turned quickly down a street, feeling the blood under my skin rage on like an angry ocean. The air pricked at my warm body, making it sting, and the only thing that made it bearable was when I thought of Bella's smooth lips over my mouth or my arms covering her little body. The memories of our kiss that had happened such a short time ago taunted me, played with my emotions, and unraveled the bandages of a misused heart.

I sighed and stopped, realizing that I had walked all the way to Main Street in such a short time. The small numerous walkways were abuzz with people, shuffling in and out of the small Mom and Pop stores that existed in Forks. Not many were open past six, but the few that were were almost filled to capacity.

I glanced at the small Forks theater that was located further down the street; they only played two movies at a time, while the big theater in Port Angeles played as many as seven. It seemed as good as any a place to be to think about what I intended to do about Bella. _What else can you do, Paul? Be with her?_ I asked myself. _Yes, I could be with her. I really could be. So what if the prince had a crush on her? She was mine and our ancestors proved it_. I nodded, almost pleased with myself.

"God, he's cute," I overheard, small amounts of girly chuckling ensuing almost immediately after.

"Think he's from the rez?" another voice asked. I had to estimate that they were maybe twenty or thirty feet behind me.

"Well, duh," another voice chimed in. "Look at that skin. Look at that body. Any guys from Forks built like that? That's it; I'm visiting the rez to snag myself a boyfriend."

I grinned without turning around. _This was what I was used to_. I liked the attention that I got from other girls. Everywhere I went, it was the same—stop long enough to catch a few eyes and the rest soon followed. A few lines, a number, a place to meet, fuck, and then leave. It had been that way for me since I hit puberty, and even at nine, I was unsnapping bras. Willingly, at least.

I heard one of the pubescent girls gasp. "Oh my God, that smile. Cindy, do you see that?"

"I see it, I see it," the other girl, I assumed Cindy, whispered back excitedly.

"I'm going to say something. I'm going to say something," yet another girl chanted.

That was another thing I liked; I liked forward girls. They were easier to get into bed with and they let you off the hook more willingly too. They can't expect much if they only just met you.

I played along, waiting for her to approach me, and turned around when I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I stared into her slate-colored eyes and pushed the images of Bella's beautiful, brown, doe eyes far from my mind. _I'm doing this for us, baby. I have to be sure that I'm good enough for you. I have to see if our bond is real._

"Hi there."

"Hey." I placed both hands in my pockets and tilted my head so not to appear as tall. She glanced down shyly and pushed a few strands of her blonde hair back. _She pushed her hair back_ _just like Bella_, I realized. My eyes widened. _Stop it!_

"What's your name?"

"Paul."

"Paul," she repeated. "I'm Beverly."

I smiled again as she stepped closer. The wind picked up suddenly, and I caught a whiff of her. She had just done her nails. I hated the smell of acrylic, artificial nails. It smelled gross. She was also wearing cucumber melon spray deodorant, which did not help her general body odor in the least. Her aroma was that of dirty socks drenched in Downy; you could dress a pig in makeup all you wanted, but in the end it was still a pig. God, she really did smell wretched. Did all girls smell like this?

I sniffed toward her friends. Mango orange was the next smell that invaded my nose. That cheap, scented lotion from Victoria's Secret pulled at my small nose hairs, making my face wrinkle and the girl in front of me withdrew. Her two friends faired a little better than Beverly did; their combined scent just reminded me of stale perfume. The only thing that smelled worse than them was a vampire—the sweetened candied smell of death. I almost would have preferred them to be vampire. I would at least then know why I wasn't attracted to the girls. I had never minded what kind of scent a girl wore before, so why did it matter now?

"Are you okay?" Beverly asked, drawing my attention back.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I looked at her again, and her face held uncertainty. I had my answer; I knew I wouldn't be able to see anyone but Bella ever again. "Nice to meet you, but I've gotta go," I said hurriedly.

"Well, are you going to be around town for a while—?"

I nearly ran away from her and the smell of her friends. It was too many tropical scents, and I couldn't take it without feeling nauseous. _Why did girls feel the need to put on so much shit for a night out?_

I panted as I neared Bella's house. I started to barge in, but I placed my palms on the front door and waited. Not enough time had passed. I doubted that I had even been gone an hour. I was going under. I was drowning in my own self-denial, fighting something that wasn't even in my power to control.

"Shit," I muttered. My revelations were becoming too deep for me to handle. "Bella," I moaned into the night.

* * *

Three hours and forty-nine minutes had to be enough time, and if it wasn't, it would have to suffice. I couldn't take not holding her anymore. I was sounding like a real pansy.

I pushed the door open as slowly as I could but still managed to bang the door knob into the wall, and as the metal echoed in the house, I heard Quil laughing in an uproar. I counted the seconds and walked into the living room, where I saw Quil sprawled out on the floor in front of the television. No Bella.

"Hey, you're back early," Quil commented.

_Fuck! _It hadn't been long enough.

"Yeah, I guess I am," I answered back. "Where's Swan?"

He barely glanced at me, watching an old cartoon. "Hey, that kid from Bella's school phoned."

I tensed, forgetting my previous inquiry for the moment, knowing full well which fucker it was that called. "What fucker called?" I demanded anyway.

Quil had always been immature and could never resist poking around until something snapped at him to stop, which is why he didn't even hesitate to elaborate. "Guy that went with Bella and Jake to the movies that one time," he said with a small, devious grin forming on the left side of his mouth. I guess he needed the drama.

I rolled my eyes, trying to keep my anger in check. _Oh, that asshole_. That little dipshit was becoming more and more of a problem, and it was something that I could not tolerate. The marshmallow may have been Bella's friend at school, but I would make sure that it would go no further than that.

"He's nothing, fuckin' nobody important."

Quil shrugged. "That Mr. Nobody Important offered to drive Bells to school tomorrow morning—"

I leapt over Quil's head and the entire length of the couch and yanked Quil to a standing position from the floor, grabbing the collar of his shirt. Quil looked momentarily taken aback, and either he didn't think his whole "poking the bear" theory through or he honestly thought that I wouldn't kill the messenger. "Excuse me?" I growled.

"Fuck, Paul," Quil gulped, trying to pry my fingers loose from his shirt. "Fuck is wrong with you?"

Through clenched teeth I replied, "Who offered to drive who to school?"

"Huh?"

I shook my head. "Don't play dumb, you know what you said." I pulled him closer, tips of Quil's scraping lightly across on the floor with "Flight of the Valkyries" playing in the background from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. "Speak," I commanded.

"Relax," Quil said, finally seeming to get the hint that I was not to be fucked with tonight. Or any other night. "Dude offered a ride tomorrow morning before school, but she told him 'no, thank you.' She barely even held the phone for five seconds. We cool now?" he asked when I didn't release my grip.

I nodded once and flung him back into the couch, the furniture groaning a bit under the other teen wolf's weight. Quil tried to nonchalantly straighten his shirt back, but it seemed to have angry, permanent marks from my fingers indented into the fabric. In another two breaths, I figured that I had enough of Quil Ateara, the V, for the night.

"You got somewhere to be, No. 5?" I asked pointedly. "Now's the time to get there."

Quil grinned again. "Well, I thought you'd take longer. I sorta figured that you only got upset with me just now because you didn't get laid."

I glared at him. "Think again."

He attempted to pry once more. "You get any?"

I ignored him. "Where's the Swan?" I asked again, trying to appear casual.

Quil would not leave well enough alone. "What gives, man? You get any or not?"

I shrugged, finally giving in. "No cute girls out tonight," I replied.

"Really?" Quil raised an eyebrow and sat up a bit straighter to look at me. Perceptive little fucker. "You always come back with something, Paul."

"Not this time," I said, growing annoyed again. "Swan?" This time, I balled my fists as I asked.

Quil noticed and quickly motioned over toward the stairs. "She went to bed not long after you left. Said she was tired. I've been watching TV ever since. This was the best babysitting gig ever. Next time you go out, call me first."

"No need," I announced before I could stop myself. I never intended to leave Bella willingly again, but Quil didn't need to know that.

Quil narrowed his eyes. "You sure there were no pretty girls out tonight? Maybe you didn't look hard enough. Did you visit the rez? I heard Lyndsay was looking for you to—"

I cut him off with a hand and a nasty look. Lyndsay was old news. Way old news. Like from almost a year ago. She was six years my senior, and I still had her wrapped around my finger. Or my dick, depending on how you looked at it.

"Didn't see anything I wanted," I insisted, trying to keep my voice level. What I wanted was upstairs.

"Well, I can wait around some more while you look a bit longer. I know how you get when you haven't been laid, and I don't think Bella needs to see that." Quil chuckled.

_See it? She was causing it_. I groaned again, this time really close to losing it where I stood. "Not in the mood anymore. Take the hint and fuckin' leave."

Quil sucked his teeth, standing up. "Fine. Last time I do you a favor."

"Noted. Bye," I said as I shoved him out.

"I'm going, I'm going," Quil chanted, pulling off his shirt and reaching for his breakaway pants. I panicked. Quil was going to phase immediately. He might think too much about my attitude and make Jacob aware that was something was off. Quil really couldn't keep his mouth shut. He had been replaying happy memories of when he had first turned into a wolf for weeks, and then when he had imprinted on baby Claire a few days later, all he could think about was how much the little girl had made him feel.

I shuddered; thank goodness Bella was no infant.

"Quil," I called out before he could phase to his chocolate brown colored wolf. "Three girls hit on me at the movies tonight, man."

Quil stopped and turned around completely, anxiously awaiting more. "And?"

I forced a grin. "I'm all tuckered out."

Quil laughed, slapping his leg. "No way. Only a couple of hours with three girls and you're tired already? What happened to the guy that could last longer without food than he could without sex?" he teased.

"They pulled out the unexpected. Who knew, man?" I was half right; those girls had only proven that I couldn't see, smell, feel, or want anything else but Bella at that moment. And she was still waiting for me upstairs.

"Damn, that is messed up. Kudos to you, bro, for the tag-team." Quil shook his head, unable to hold in his laughter as he threw off the rest of his pants and phased, changing the sound to a wheezing cough-fit of a large animal.

I closed the door and looked up the stairs again. Bella was mine, finally. The wait had paid off.

**BPOV**

I showered. My entire wrist was thumping, the blood's pool ending at my swollen fingertips. It turned my pale skin ruby, but I had showered. It didn't matter how much it had hurt; I didn't want anything stopping Paul and me once he got back.

I groaned at the thought, tensing as I wrapped the blankets more over my shoulders to shut out the bit of hallway light from under my covers. I was shaking with anxiety. Oh God, Paul was amazing. His kisses were nothing like I had ever experienced and I couldn't believe that he seemed to have felt the same way about us.

'_Us'? So there's an 'us' now?_

I nodded, answering my own question, and pushed my face into my pillow. _What do I say to him? How do I say it to him?_ _Should I just blurt out that I want to take our relationship further?_ _What relationship? _I asked myself_. You just started kissing only a few short hours ago_. I mouthed, "I don't know, I don't know," into my hands, not even caring that my hand had started to hurt again. _Where was Paul? Why wasn't he back yet?_ I pondered, thinking of my swollen hand.

I wrapped my hair around my eyes when I suddenly heard footsteps on the stairs. I held my breath, wishing and not wishing that it was Paul. It had better not be Quil; I liked his company, but he was not the one I hungered for at this point.

"Swan, you up?" a voice called.

I quickly moved and threw a pillow at the doorway. Paul had better stop calling me by my last name if he expected us to get closer. _Much closer_. My inner thoughts did not help keep my voice flat and calm as I said, "It's _Bella_."

Paul grinned, already holding the pillow I had previously thrown. He had probably caught it when I was still turned around in my bed. "I know your name."

"What else do you know?" I inquired.

"That you missed me."

I scoffed. "How do you know that?"

"Your hand is throbbing."

"So what? Ice works just as well as heat sometimes, so I don't need your freakishly high body heat for that."

Paul's grin turned predatory. "And that's not the only thing that's throbbing either."

I looked down sheepishly, burying my hands in sweat covered legs. I hated his sense of smell.

"Can I return your pillow to you?" he offered.

My eyes lifted back up. "Yes."

Paul moved slowly across the room, removing his shoes with his toes, and slid under the covers with me, placing the pillow under my head.

"You returned my pillow," I said, carefully trying to avoid his body without much avail.

"You look cold."

"And what would I have done without my heat, right?" I smiled coyly.

"Exactly. And I promised you something when I got back."

"Am I going to get it then?"

Paul grinned and touched my face as I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. His tongue was inside of my mouth, making it difficult to form a coherent thought, as I felt his lips on me. I embraced his body as he hovered over me, fingering my sides and pressing his abdomen against mine. My head started to spin, my depth perception becoming lost as Paul's head moved to my neck and my thighs angled up to meet his warmth. I found the bottom of his shirt and made it clear with my frequent pulling that it was oppressing his body. Paul took the hint and ripped it off, throwing it behind him, and returned to push his tongue further into my own.

"You're a great kisser," I taunted, trying hard not to bite him as I spoke. He grunted an inaudible answer and held my body closer to his. Somehow I doubted that I was the first to tell him that.

A thumping noise in the room started and grew louder as Paul's hands flew under my shirt. Was that my heart? I pushed my bandaged hand in-between our two bodies and winced as his hard abs brushed against the still healing bones beneath my epidermis. He grabbed my waist and rolled me over, placing me on top of him. His hand continued to rub my breasts under my shirt, but he made no move to remove it. My pants were sticking to me as if they were tights instead of sweats, and his jeans did nothing to cover his growing urge as it continued to rise and beat against me, only being held back by the two clothing fabrics that we both wore.

Paul's hips suddenly bucked forward into mine, and I gasped, Paul holding onto me fast as I grew dizzy from the new sensation. The beating of my center only worsened as Paul pulled me forward, rubbing his fingers along my spine and grinding my chest with his. I groaned, sighed, and withered under his care. My eyes closed, unable to take the commotion that now seemed to take hold of my ears in the bedroom until it became the only thing that I could hear, with the exception of Paul's breathing keeping pace with mine.

I gently rocked with him until I suddenly jerked back, feeling a tug as Paul's fingers got tangled in my hair. I let out a small wail as my body grew numb from the inside, starting from my scalp and traveling down my chest, plunging into my stomach, running gracefully over my thighs, legs, and stinging my toes. I clawed at Paul's arms, begging to be released, but all I could feel was his lower half meeting mine, slamming me back down to him as soon as I would pull myself up and away from him. He tilted my head back with a not-so gentle pull to my hair, and I yelled in relief as my body trembled on top of him.

I felt a pleasurable burn run a course. My feet shook slightly as they laid half folded underneath Paul and the wonderful feeling journeyed back up the way it had seemingly entered. All that became of the sound leaving my mouth was a joyous exhale and simple shudder. Paul's hands dabbed my face lightly and I heard a snicker. My eyes flew open then and darted searchingly across his face.

"Kind of intense for our first orgasm together, huh?" Paul laughed, louder this time.

I shook my head, noting that the banging in my room stopped. Had we been making that noise with the bed? "Wha—that's what that was?" I questioned, feeling incredibly stupid. _Of course that was what it was_. "I have never felt anything like that before."

"I see that by the look on your face," Paul chided. "Kind of makes all those self-servicing attempts seem rather dull and pointless, don't you think?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You heard me masturbating?"

"Heard you?" Paul looked at me incredulously. "God, I could hear you, smell you, and taste it from every room in the house. You have no idea how much I wanted you," he admitted.

I glanced at our sweaty bodies, suddenly worried that we had gotten too carried away with our urges. "Oh my God, did we just have—"

"What? No! No, we didn't have sex. I'm just…really that good," he bragged.

I breathed a little easier, peering down at him. "Would you have? Had sex with me tonight?"

"If you wanted to, fuck yeah."

I grew nervous, feeling uncomfortable but knowing that this was the best time to bring it up. "What if tonight was not the night, but I admitted to you that I would like to…one night?"

Paul nodded slowly.

I swallowed hard and pushed back more of my fallen, sweaty hair from my face. "Would you mind taking things slow then, with me?"

"Yeah."

"What about keeping it a secret? Can you keep hiding things from your pack mates?"

"Like I said, no one goes into my mind. Our secret is safe. Besides, I'm discreet. Remember?"

I nodded and lowered my face to his. "Then I would like to be able to be with you, Paul. For…for as long as we can be together," I announced with uncertainty, not knowing how else to phrase the fact that I was aware of just how fickle his appetite could be. It may not have been the best move, considering that he could leave me at anytime he chose to, but I couldn't imagine wanting anything more than him.

"Okay," he agreed, seeming to understand my apprehension and not wanting to push me further.

My next question reminded us both of just how naive and new I was to all of this. "Do you want to sleep with me?"

"You mean fuck?"

I gasped. "Don't say the f-word!" I chastised.

Paul gave me a small smirk, staring at me for a few more seconds before he spoke with definitiveness. "Yes."

I bit my lip. "Okay, then it's settled." I moved from atop of him and pulled the covers around my legs, thinking that it might shield me of some embarrassment from still being sticky. I watched him sit up in the twin, and I held a breath, not wanting him to leave my side yet. "Do you want to stay in the bed with me?" I blurted out. "I mean, is it too small for you to stay here?"

"As long as I don't hiccup in the middle of the night, I'll be fine."

I twisted the sheets and nodded slowly. It was a lot to ask of him, I felt. I started to reply that I understood when he pulled me closer to him, hugging me.

"You sure?" I asked.

I felt his chin move onto the top of my head. "I can't sleep without being able to hold you anyway," he said softly. "I'm kind of spoiled already."

"That's like saying you're already a little bratty and hot-headed."

His chuckle vibrated throughout my body, and he kissed my eyelids closed. They fluttered back open against his moist lips, and I moved my head down his neck, listening to his heartbeat gently thump in his chest.

"Paul, can I ask you something?" Though I already felt tired and worn out, I just had to know.

"Yeah," he answered, sounding just as sleepy as I was.

"How far will you go with me?"

"As far as you want."

"What kind of stuff do you do?" I asked; however, I had a feeling that even sex education books could learn a few tricks from him. I had no idea what I was really getting myself into.

"I do everything. You tell me what you like and I'll do it. Didn't the leech help you your first time together? Somehow I get the feeling that he liked to play 'the boss' in the bedroom."

Stunned, I met Paul's mocking eyes. "What makes you say that?"

He shrugged. "The way you were kissing me, I thought that he never let you take charge—"

"I'm a virgin," I announced, cringing back from him.

"Wait, what?"

I started to feel like crying again until the words poured out of me like a ruined dam. "You were right; he never let me do anything. We rarely kissed. He thought he would lose control and do things to me that he would never be able to take back. It was horrible; he never wanted to do anything and it was always like I had to force him. Even kissing him was like a chore. I'm sorry that I pushed myself on you like that. You must have thought that I—"

Paul's lips quieted my ranting sob, kindly pushing air into me again so that I could resume breathing normally. My mind went blank, my pulse racing, and the house stirred continuously in the background as we stayed lip locked with one another for several minutes. He fingered my face and sighed lightly when our kiss had ended.

"Don't worry about it. I'll wait."

"You will?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah, I will."

"Why?"

I watched as Paul hesitated before he gave in to my question. "Because you're worth it. Besides," he whispered softly as he continued to stroke my cheek, "It hurts the first time, and I want to break you in slowly."

I smiled, feeling Paul's ever-present cockiness take a hold of him once more, but for the first time, I didn't mind. "I'm not a horse, darn you."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty big, in case you didn't feel it while you were wildly thrashing on top of me not so long ago." He smirked.

"Ugh!" I playfully pushed him, my hand immediately reminding me of why I didn't lead with it, and pulled him closer to me. I was anxious to get rid of the pain my hand but more so wanting to hold him again. I gripped him tighter than I ever had before. "When I'm ready, can I see it first?"

"You can see it before then, babe."

Knowing that it was pointless, and just like when he called me "Swan," I still requested, "Stop calling me 'babe,' I keep telling you."

Paul's grin grew wider. "You're in my arms now; I can call you what I want."

* * *

**A/N: **Happy Friday, the 13th!****


End file.
